What do “Good” Mothers of Children with Autism Look Like?

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Background:
Most cultures have expectations about how mothers should act in their role as caregivers for their children. Compared with mothers of typically developing children, mothers of children with autism may face additional challenges in caring for their children such as taking care of their children’s treatment and educational needs. In the U.S., for instance, “warrior-hero” mothers of children with autism who fight to obtain interventions for their children often receive public recognition and positive attention from media, which might lead to higher expectations for mothers of children with autism (and other children with disabilities). Studies have examined societal influences on mothering, but few have looked closely at the mothers’ own construct of what constitutes “good” mothers of children with ASD. The goal of this research is (1) to examine the perceptions of “good” mothers of children from the perspectives of the mothers themselves and (2) to explore how their ideological framework of “good” mothers was constructed.

The findings from our research may contribute to minimizing stress and pressure mothers face stretching to becoming ideal “good” mothers. In addition, we hope to identify (1) barriers for mothers of children with ASD to viewing themselves as “good” mothers and (2) resources that help move them toward becoming a mother they would like to be.

Methods:
Fifty-three mothers of children diagnosed with ASD ages 2-12 participated in the study. They were recruited from clinics, schools, treatment centers, and parent organizations. All of the mothers’ parents were born in the U.S. See Table 1 for demographics.

These mothers completed semi-structured interviews about their perceptions related to ideal mothers (Q1 What does it mean to be a good mother? Q2 What does it mean to be a good mother of a child with autism? Q3 How do you evaluate yourself as a mother who is raising a child with autism?). Demographic information related to the mothers and children was also collected through the background questionnaire.

Data analysis followed the procedure for thematic analysis outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006): (1) familiarizing yourself with your data; (2) generating initial codes; (3) searching for themes; (4) reviewing themes; (5) defining and naming themes; and (6) producing the report. We coded our interviews for each question first. Then we compared the themes that emerged for the ideal mothers in general (Q1) and the ideal mothers of children with ASD (Q2), and compared the ideal mothers of children with ASD (Q2) and the mothers’ evaluation of their own mothering (Q3).

Our initial coding for half of the data (n = 27) suggested the characteristics of ideal mothers indicated in Table 2. We plan to finish the rest of the coding to generate initial codes and then create themes for Q1, 2, and 3 by the end of November 2020. We plan to compare the themes among Q1, 2, and 3 and draw conclusions by January 2021.

Authors

• Noriko Porter, Washington State University
  Presenting Author

• Hannah F Porter, Research Assistant
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katherine A Loveland, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
  Non-Presenting Author