Psychological Stress Among a Sample of Mothers of Children with Down Syndrome

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the level of psychological stress experienced by mothers of children with Down syndrome, and to examine how variables such as the child's gender, the family's economic status, and the mother's educational level affect this stress. The researchers adopted a descriptive methodology and used the Psychological Stress Scale for Parents of Children with Disabilities (developed by Sartawi & Al-Shakhsh) along with a demographic data form prepared by the researchers. The sample included 10 mothers of children with Down syndrome. The findings indicated that mothers with lower educational and economic levels experienced higher levels of psychological stress, and that mothers of male children reported more stress than those of female children.