Mothers' experiences of a child with learning disabilities: a phenomenological study

Abstract

Learning disabilities have a significant impact not only on the affected individual but also on other family members. The mother often is the most affected family member as she tries to understand her child's difficulties while trying to discover the nature of the problem. Learning disabilities are usually not identified until school entry or even later depending on the nature of the disability. The goal of this phenomenological study is to understand what it is like to be a mother of a child with a learning disability. Ten mothers participated in the study and were asked to describe their experiences to gain insight into this mothering experience. Unstructured individual interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was conducted using van Manen's approach. Six themes were identified from the data analysis: searching for answers, easing the child's struggle, need for assistance and understanding, no time for self, isolating and lonely life, and an uncertain future. Mothers indicated the experience was emotional, challenging, and stressful. This research adds to the body of knowledge on mothering in the area of learning disabilities.