The experiences of mothers of children and young people with intellectual disabilities during the first COVID-19 lockdown period.
Gemma Rogers, Gisela Perez-Olivas, Biza Stenfert Kroese and 8 others
PMID 33759291WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers reported feeling abandoned by withdrawn services and overwhelmed by constant care duties, leading to worsened mental health.
However, six described reduced challenging behaviours in their children due to less daily pressure. The study highlights the strain of isolation and the benefit of lower demands.
Key findings
01All participants reported feeling abandoned by professional services when access ceased during lockdown.
02Six of the eight mothers reported that removing daily pressures, such as school routines, reduced their children's challenging behaviours and improved mood.
03Mothers experienced increased stress, fear, and powerlessness due to the lack of respite and the unpredictability of the home environment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (n=8) and consisted only of mothers, excluding fathers, children, and siblings. Participants were relatively affluent, so financial pressures were not reported, limiting generalisability to economically disadvantaged families. There may be a sampling bias towards mothers who were more able to cope or articulate their experiences. The study took place during the first lockdown, so findings may not apply to later phases of the pandemic or other crises.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that lockdown itself is therapeutic for children with intellectual disabilities. The improvements in behaviour were linked to the removal of specific daily pressures, not the isolation or lack of services, which caused significant harm to the mothers' mental health.