Abstract
BackgroundNo studies illustrating the coping behaviors of mothers experiencing physical and mental subjective symptoms, or the factors that contribute to these behaviors, have been investigated. Therefore, the present study sought to develop a conceptual framework on the coping behaviors and contributing factors of mothers experiencing physical and mental subjective symptoms.MethodsThis qualitative study involved theoretical sampling and semi-structured interviews of mothers who were raising children under 3 years of age in Japan and had experienced physical and mental subjective symptoms since giving birth. Women who were pregnant, required regular medical exams, or had difficulty communicating in Japanese were excluded. All mothers were recruited via personal contacts, snowball sampling, and posters at a community center and nursery schools. Analysis was conducted using the constant comparative method. The interview data were extracted in contextual units based on analytical themes, and concepts were generated. Relationships between concepts were investigated and categorized. To confirm theoretical saturation and ensure the validity of the data, a study supervisor was appointed, four qualitative researchers examined the results, and the interview respondents underwent member checking.ResultsThere were a total of 21 participants. Thirteen categories were created from 29 concepts identified from the analytical theme “What do mothers do when raising children under 3 years of age while experiencing physical and mental subjective symptoms?” While experiencing subjective symptoms, mothers raising children under 3 years of age tended to lead a child-centric lifestyle and were hesitant to visit the doctor, not only because of typical reasons such as time and costs, but also because of factors related to their child. Some circumstances occurring while experiencing physical and mental subjective symptoms led mothers to put their own needs first and attempt to cope on their own as much as possible. As a result, most mothers would only visit a doctor after becoming seriously ill.ConclusionMothers raising children under 3 years of age in Japan tend to put their own needs on hold when experiencing subjective symptoms. As a result, they attempt to cope on their own and, at times, only visit a doctor after becoming seriously ill.
Highlights
No studies illustrating the coping behaviors of mothers experiencing physical and mental subjective symptoms, or the factors that contribute to these behaviors, have been investigated
A survey of 74,000 people by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) found that the rate of physical and mental symptoms was 1.3 to 1.5 times higher in women of the child-rearing to menopause generation compared with men of the same age span, whereas it was almost equal for men and women in all other age groups [1]
In addition a MHLW longitudinal survey of 50,000 newborns found that 30–40% of mothers with children, those aged between 0 and 3 years, had experienced severe physical fatigue due to child-rearing [6,7,8]
Summary
No studies illustrating the coping behaviors of mothers experiencing physical and mental subjective symptoms, or the factors that contribute to these behaviors, have been investigated. A survey of 74,000 people by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) found that the rate of physical and mental symptoms was 1.3 to 1.5 times higher in women of the child-rearing to menopause generation compared with men of the same age span, whereas it was almost equal for men and women in all other age groups [1]. To the best of our knowledge, no studies examining the coping behaviors of child-rearing mothers and their associated factors in terms of physical and mental subjective symptoms have been conducted
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