Caregiver Coping Strategies Research Articles

Coping Strategies and Mental Well Being of Caregivers of Children with Autism and Normal: AComparative Study

Background: The caregivers are vulnerable to develop depression and anxiety due to increased workload and multiple stressors associated with care giving role. The understanding of coping strategies among caregivers of children with autism and normal would offer a comprehensive understanding of mental health of caregivers and coping strategies can offer protective and remedial mechanism. Objective: The present study investigated the differences in Mental Well Being and Coping Strategies of caregivers of children with Autism and Normal children. Sample: The sample size comprised of thirty caregivers of children with Autism and thirty caregivers of normal children. Tools Used: The tools used for data collection was Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) the Coping Strategies scale. Result: Results indicated the significant differences in Approach Behavioural coping strategy among Caregivers of Autistic children group and Caregivers of Normal Group. However, no significant differences between Mental Well Being and Approach Cognitive Coping Strategies of Caregivers of children with Autism and Caregiver group of Normal children.

Assessment of burden and coping strategies among caregivers of cancer patients in sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUNDCancer is a devastating and debilitating chronic disease that affects both patients and family members. Available evidence has confirmed that the care of chronically ill relatives by family members can be very challenging. This is because caregiving of cancer patients often presents a high level of burden on the caregivers. Consequently, this leads to a necessity to adopt coping mechanisms to cushion the effect of the burden experienced during caregiving.AIMTo determine the burden experienced and coping strategies among caregivers of advanced cancer patients attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Cross River State, Nigeria.METHODSThe study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional study design and the study population included informal family caregivers providing services to histologically diagnosed advanced cancer patients receiving treatment at the UCTH at the time of this survey. A researcher-developed structured questionnaire, a 22-item standardized validated Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and a modified 17-item Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) Inventory were used to collect data from 250 eligible informal caregivers who were selected with regard to caregiver’s characteristics, caregivers’ level of burden and caregiver’s coping strategies, respectively. Data gathered from the respondents were collated, coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 24.0) software and Predictive Analytical Software (PAS version 19.0). Chi-square was used to test for association between categorical variables at the 0.05 level of significance. The results are presented in tables and charts.RESULTSThe respondents consisted of more females 132 (62.86%) than males 78 (37.14%). The majority of respondents (46.2%) were aged between 31-50 years with a mean age of 35.9 ± 18.1 years. The assessment of burden level revealed that 97 caregivers (46.19%) experienced severe burden, 37 (17.62%) experienced trivial or no burden, while 76 (36.2%) perceived moderate burden. The coping strategies used by caregivers to ease the level of burden experienced during caregiving included; acceptance, reprioritization, appreciation, family, positive self-view and empathy. Also, it was documented that there was a strong association between caregivers’ level of burden and coping strategies (P = 0.030). Findings also showed that age (P = 0.000), sex (P = 0.000), educational status (P = 0.000), functional ability (P = 0.000), duration of care (P = 0.000), desire to continue caregiving (P = 0.000) and type of cancer (P = 0.000) were statistically significantly associated with caregivers’ coping strategies.CONCLUSIONThere is great recognition of the role of informal caregivers in improving the health of their relatives and family members who are chronically ill. It was recommended that support groups in collaboration with health care providers should organize a symposium for informal caregivers on the intricacies of caregiving in chronically ill patients. This would create a platform for experience sharing, information dissemination and health care professional-caregiver interaction to enhance positive caregiving outcomes.

“Caring for the Elderly is Very Difficult”: Challenges and Coping Strategies of Caregivers in Urban Poor Accra, Ghana

This study is part of a broader phenomenological study on the experiences of family caregivers and their care recipients. There is a general paucity of research on the experiences of primary and secondary caregivers, and the negative impact of elderly care on caregivers in the urban poor settings in Ghana. This study explored primary and secondary caregivers' challenges and coping strategies in the urban poor context in Accra, Ghana. This study was conducted in Ga Mashie. Thirty-one caregivers were interviewed. A phenomenological analysis was conducted using NVivo 10. Primary and secondary caregivers experienced economic, physical, social, and psychological burdens. Also, caregivers used spirituality and perseverance to cope with their challenges. The findings demonstrate that caregivers' challenges varied by type of caregiver. Researchers and policymakers should consider the type of caregiver when designing interventions to mitigate the negative impacts of family caregiving on caregivers.

Psychoeducation at our Belgian geriatric day hospital

AbstractBackgroundWith the rising dementia population, more and more programs have been developed to help caregivers. Being a caregiver for people with dementia is associated with psychological stress and physical ill‐health. Benefits in terms of mental health and depression were generally found for caregiver coping strategies involving problem focus, acceptance and social‐emotional support. These programs, call Psychoeducation have been consistently found to be effective in reducing caregiver distress and are suited for delivery in group format. Support groups, multicomponent interventions and joint engagements by both caregivers and people with dementia were generally found to be beneficial.MethodThis is an observational study concerning simultaneous care of dyads (patient with cognitive impairment and caregiver): the family will benefit from Psychoeducation sessions (4 classes of 3 hours during a year) with a psychologist and neuropsychologist in order to learn to modify their interactions with patients via a better understanding of illnesses and thus prevent family exhaustion. At the same time the patient will be supported by an occupational therapist for activities in order to preserve the maintenance at home as long as possible. Measures (Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire(NPI‐Q), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Scale of Caregiver’s Quality of life (QoL), Scale of Caregivers’ Precariousness, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) and Lawton Scale) were collected at baseline and post intervention at 12‐months follow‐up.ResultsThe results are ongoing; the preliminary results concerning the caregivers (n=10) and the patients aged from 72 to 88 years old (n=5). We observe a trend decreasing in the caregiver’s emotional charge and a psychic well‐being. Patient assessment is more difficult given the actually small sample size and the advanced degree of dementia.ConclusionThis project made it possible to test the effect of psychoeducation on the helping‐helped dyad allowing on the one hand to make the caregiver expert and on the other hand to try to make the patient as independent as possible in the long term and keeping them in a continuous and transversal link.

Psychosocial challenges and coping strategies of caregivers with family members under palliative care in Mufakose, Zimbabwe

This study sought to unearth the challenges and coping strategies of caregivers with family members under palliative care. As a high-density suburb, Mufakose is a dwelling place for the most economically marginalised members of the Zimbabwe urban dwellers. Having a family member under palliative care while being from a low social class has its ramifications and this was what the researcher sought to find out by carrying a qualitative research on six care givers (n = 6) sampled by purposive sampling. In-depth interviews guided by a self-constructed interview guide were used to collect data and thematic analysis was used for analysis. The interviews were carried out in Shona, the local language for the participants, and responses were later translated to English. The study indicated that the caregivers encountered a myriad of challenges ranging from social, economic and health problems. Disturbed sleeping patterns, weight loss, stress, inhibited social mobility, strained family relationships, limited health information about the illness, role conflict and increased financial constraints were the major cited challenges. The research established that caregivers are proactive and numerous coping strategies are used in dealing with the challenges. The coping strategies being used can be classified into appraisal-focused, problem-focused and emotion-focused. Although some coping strategies are maladaptive, most of them are quite adaptive, and with effective interventions the fortunes and lifestyle of caregivers can be overturned. Keywords: Palliative care, family caregiver, coping strategy, challenges, home-based care.

Coping strategies of family caregivers in spinal cord injury: a qualitative study

Purpose To identify the coping strategies used by family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Switzerland in order to develop tailored support programs. Materials and methods Purposive sample of >18 years participants, speaking an official Swiss language fluently, being family caregivers of persons with SCI for at least 4 years, and perceiving either a high or low burden in relation to caregiving. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews (N = 22). Thematic analysis was performed. Results Four main coping strategies were identified: reappraisal, active acceptance, setting limits to the caregiver role, and seeking support. These strategies can be used one at a time or combined, and at different times of a caregiver pathway. Our analysis highlighted that caregivers need skills to implement these strategies (e.g., self-evaluation skills). Conclusions Caregivers of persons with SCI develop cognitive coping strategies to make sense of the situation and establish a “new normal” and problem-focused coping strategies to deal with their new tasks and role. These strategies do not seem to be typical only of SCI caregivers. Hence, interventions that worked for caregivers in other fields could be adapted. Rehabilitation centers should systematically integrate programs targeted to caregivers into their offerings. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Healthcare systems need to develop educational and support measures for both persons with a health condition and their caregivers. Caregivers should become long-term partners in rehabilitation and a regular and structured needs assessment should be offered. Interventions that worked for caregivers in other fields can be adapted to support also caregivers in SCI. Educational and support programs dedicated to caregivers should teach not only how to perform caregiving tasks but also how to balance between responding to the care recipient’s needs and their own needs.

Understanding and Addressing the Role of Coping in Palliative Care for Patients With Advanced Cancer.

Advanced cancer, with its considerable physical symptoms and psychosocial burdens, represents an existential threat and major stressor to patients and their caregivers. In response to such stress, patients and their caregivers use a variety of strategies to manage the disease and related symptoms, such as problem-focused, emotion-focused, meaning-focused, and spiritual/religious coping. The use of such coping strategies is associated with multiple outcomes, including quality of life, symptoms of depression and anxiety, illness understanding, and end-of-life care. Accumulating data demonstrate that early palliative care, integrated with oncology care, not only improves these key outcomes but also enhances coping in patients with advanced cancer. In addition, trials of home-based palliative care interventions have shown promise for improving the ways that patients and family caregivers cope together and manage problems as a dyad. In this article, we describe the nature and correlates of coping in this population, highlight the role of palliative care to promote effective coping strategies in patients and caregivers, and review evidence supporting the beneficial effects of palliative care on patient coping as well as the mechanisms by which improved coping is associated with better outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of the limitations of the state of science, future directions, and best practices on the basis of available evidence.

The Relationship Between Care Burden and Coping Strategies in Caregivers of Hemodialysis Patients in Kermanshah, Iran.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between care burden and coping strategies in caregivers of hemodialysis patients.MethodsThis cross-sectional survey was conducted from September to December 2018 in Kermanshah, Iran. A total of 130 caregivers of patients admitted to the hemodialysis wards of Imam Reza and Imam Khomeini hospitals of Kermanshah, Iran were selected via convenience sampling. Data-collection tools included a demographic information form, caregiver-burden inventory, and coping inventory for stressful situations. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical tests.ResultsThe mean age of the caregivers was 35.8±13.7 years, and 71 (54.6%) were patients’ children. The mean caregiver-burden score was 58.5±20.5 out of 96. Mean scores of time-dependent, evolutionary, physical, social, and emotion-dependent care burdens were 17.5±5.3, 12.2±6.3, 9.1±4.7, 8.2±4.0, and 11.4±5.1, respectively. Mean scores of problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidance-oriented coping strategies were 46.0±80.8, 43.1±9.0, and 48.9±9.5, respectively. Among the strategies, only the avoidance-oriented one had a significant positive relationship with total care burden and all its subscales.ConclusionCaregivers of hemodialysis patients experienced a relatively high care burden. However, they did not use appropriate coping strategies; therefore, they should be trained to select an effective coping strategy.

Care demands experienced by family caregivers of children with Primary Immunodeficiency.

to understand the experiences of family caregivers of children with Primary Immunodeficiency in view of care demands. a qualitative research. Data collection was subsidized by an open interview with five family caregivers, and the data were analyzed using the Bardin Content Analysis technique, thematic modality. The Callista Roy's Adaptation Model of Nursing was used to interpret the data. from participants' reports, the following categories emerged: Maternity: facing adversity; Remodeling of daily life; The Social Support Network resource. family caregivers experience several feelings such as anguish and low self-esteem due to the fear of losing their child and the routine of illnesses and hospitalizations, in addition to needs that are often not reached due to incompatibility with the family budget. The Social Support Network is strengthened for most caregivers, playing an essential role as a coping strategy for caregivers.

The Effect of a Nurse-Led Cognitive Behavioral Protocol on Depressive Symptoms and Coping Strategies of Dementia Caregivers.

Family caregivers of patients with dementia (PWD) often experience depressive symptoms and use poor coping strategies. Cognitive behavioral interventions may enhance positive appraisals of caregiving-related issues and the utilization of active coping strategies among caregivers, which may help prevent caregiver depression. However, there is a shortage of primary, community-based mental health services in China, and little research has been conducted on the effect of nurse-led mental health programs in this population. This study explored the effect of a nurse-led cognitive behavioral intervention on depressive symptoms and coping strategies among family caregivers of PWD in China. This randomized controlled trial used data from a sample of 112 caregivers screened from 276 potential participants in a city in southeastern China. The sample was randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 56) and a control group (n = 56). The intervention group received five monthly in-home, nurse-led cognitive behavioral sessions and telephone consultations after each session. The control group received five monthly, short, general conversations with nurse interventionists at the participants' homes, in the hospital, or via telephone. Depressive symptoms, coping strategies, and the demographics of caregiving dyads were collected at Time 1 (baseline), Time 2 (the end of the 5-month intervention), and Time 3 (2-month follow-up). IBM SPSS Statistics Version 19.0 was used for data analysis. Eighty-two participants (intervention group: n = 47, control group: n = 35) completed the three evaluations. No significant group differences were found in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The general linear model repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated a significant difference in depressive symptoms and active coping between groups over time, with p < .001 for the interaction between depressive symptoms and groups and p < .01 for the interaction between active coping and groups. A similar result did not occur for passive coping. The t tests further supported a significant interventional effect on participants' depressive symptoms and active coping. This nurse-led cognitive behavioral intervention was effective in decreasing depressive symptoms and improving active coping among study participants. The findings suggest the improvement of mental health services and social policies in China to support family caregivers of PWD.

Anxiety and depression among caregivers of young children with Congenital Zika Syndrome in Brazil

Purpose To examine the psychological well-being of primary caregivers of infants and toddlers with Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS), and the roles of family resources, parenting stress, and coping strategies in caregivers’ adaptation. Materials and methods Family caregivers (N = 50) of children with CZS who were receiving treatment at a rehabilitation hospital in Recife, Brazil participated a cross-sectional survey study. Caregivers completed measures of anxiety and depression, coping strategies, family resources, and parenting stress. Results Mild to severe symptoms of depression were identified in 40% of caregivers and were a more prominent concern than symptoms of anxiety. Fewer family resources and high levels of parenting stress were significantly associated with both anxiety and depression. The association between parenting stress and depression was moderated by coping, such that parenting stress was associated with higher caregiver depression at low but not high levels of coping strategy use. Conclusions Practitioners in Brazil should consider the role of family coping and resources as important resilience promoting factors in the development of new programs designed to promote psychological adaptation in caregivers to children with CZS. It is recommended that caregiver mental health support services be integrated into existing early intervention programs targeting children with CZS. Implications for Rehabilitation Parents and other primary caregivers are encouraged to take an active role in the care and developmental monitoring of children born with CZS, but their ability to provide care may be compromised by difficulties in psychological adaptation. Moderate and severe symptoms of depression were more prominent in caregivers than moderate and severe symptoms of anxiety (20% versus 6%, respectively). Practitioners should include assessment of coping strategies, parenting stress and family resources conjointly with evaluation of symptoms of depression and anxiety as part of routine CZS family evaluations. A useful approach for caregivers in Brazil may be to more fully integrate caregiver mental health support services into existing early intervention programs for children with CZS.

Understanding coping strategies of cancer caregivers to inform mindfulness-based interventions: A qualitative study

IntroductionCaregivers of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) patients experience high levels of stress, and a better understanding of the commonly used coping strategies can guide intervention development. Mindfulness-based interventions are one promising approach that could augment and extend existing coping strategies. This study examined in-depth phone interviews conducted with HCT caregivers to gather information about coping strategies used to manage stress and other difficult emotions while taking care of their patient. MethodParticipants (N = 18; 55% female) completed phone interviews, which were transcribed and hand-coded for analysis. Thematic content analysis was used to code responses. ResultsFive primary coping strategy themes were reported: physical activity, spirituality, hobbies, social support, and avoidance. Caregivers also provided information about what they gained from the caregiving experience (e.g., increased empathy). ConclusionsBased on these findings and in an effort to move the intervention development field forward, a discussion is presented on how mindfulness-based strategies have the ability to augment existing coping strategies and perhaps modify unhelpful strategies.

CAREGIVING BURDEN AND COPING STRATEGIES OF CAREGIVERS CARING FOR ELDERLY WITH END STAGE RENAL DISEASE

Background: End stage renal disease affects all aspects of life of the patients and their caregivers. Caregivers receive little support than patients for that, coping strategies are important to solve difficult situation and cope with burden. Aim: Assess caregiving burden and coping strategies of caregivers caring for elderly with end stage renal disease. Design: A descriptive research design was used in this study. Setting: This study was conducted at hemodialysis unit in Mansoura University Hospital. Subjects: A purposive sample of 150 caregivers who met the inclusion criteria. Tools: Three tools were utilized in this study; Structured interview schedule, Zarit burden interview and Jaloweic coping scale. Results: 44.0% of the studied caregivers had moderate level of burden. The mean of affective oriented coping strategies was 25.49 ±7.77 while, the mean of problem oriented coping strategies was 25.42 ± 8.30.There was negative significant correlation between caregiver burden and using of affective oriented and problem oriented coping strategies (p=0.01*& p=0.004*respectively). Conclusion: The caregivers’ burden is common among family caregivers who care for elderly patients with end stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. Caregivers have been found to be using affective oriented coping strategies more than problem oriented coping strategies.

Coping strategies of family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia in Iran: A cross-sectional survey

ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify coping strategies used by family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia and their determinants. MethodsThis was a descriptive correlational study. Participants were 225 family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia who were referred to the psychiatric clinic at one large teaching referral hospital in Iran. They were selected through purposive sampling method. Data collection tools were demographic and clinical data form, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and the Family Coping Questionnaire (FCQ). ResultsThe score of caregiver burden was 65.14 ± 9.17. Of 225 family caregivers, 23.11% used an avoiding coping strategy. There was a significant relationship between caregiver burden and coping strategies (P < 0.001). The regression model showed that adaptive coping strategies were significantly associated with some demographic characteristics including age, education level, gender, employment status, losing the job because of caregiving responsibilities, perceived income adequacy, duration of illness, duration of caregiving and caregiver burden (P < 0.05). ConclusionFamily caregivers of patients with schizophrenia experience a high level of burden, which can put them at risk of using maladaptive coping strategies. Mental health professionals should plan programs that support both family caregivers and patients in clinical and community settings.

Assessment of Coping Strategies Among Family Caregivers of Psychotic Patients

Background: Coping is understood as the process of managing external or internal demands that are considered as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person. There is no formal classification of coping strategies, and these are understood as adaptive versus maladaptive. Aim: To assess coping strategies of family caregivers of psychotic patients. Subjects and Method: A descriptive correlation design using a convenience sample of family caregivers of 100 of psychotic patients recruited from the Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital at Assiut University. Tools: Socio- demographic characteristics of family caregivers and Coping Strategies Inventory Short – Form (CSI-SF) were used. Findings: Caregivers use emotion focused engagement strategies more than other subscales with a mean of (10.0±4.4), followed by emotion focused disengagement strategies (9.2±4.1). Conclusion: Family caregivers greatly used emotion focused engagement and emotion focused disengagement to cope with their psychotic patients. Recommendation: Further studies is needed to explore the relation between socio-demographic characteristics and coping strategies of family caregivers of psychotic patients

The prevalence of anxiety, stress, and depression with respect to coping strategies in caregivers of patients with head injuries

Context: Psychological problems are very common in traumatic patients' caregivers necessitating usage of appropriate coping strategies to promote their mental health. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess anxiety, stress, and depression as well as coping strategies in caregivers of patients with head injuries. Settings and Design: In this cross-sectional study, 127 caregivers of traumatic patients referred to educational hospitals of Zabol city were selected by convenience sampling method. Subjects and Methods: The data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, as well as Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 and the Jalowiec coping strategies tools. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, independent samples Student's t-test, and multivariate regression model. Results: Our findings showed that more than 70% of the caregivers of patients with head injuries suffered from severe and very severe stress and anxiety. The multivariate regression model demonstrated a negative and significant relationship between either stress (B = −0.81 P = 0.001) or depression (B = −1.23 P = 0.000) and problem-based coping strategies. Furthermore, stress (B = 0.64 P = 0.006) and anxiety (B = 0.74 P = 0.002) were negatively associated with emotional-based coping strategies. Conclusion: Considering the high rates of anxiety, stress, and depression in caregivers of patients with head injuries and significant associations observed between these variables and problem-based strategies, it is necessary to identify and obviate factors leading to anxiety and to educate coping strategies to these individuals.

Coping strategies of caregivers of patients receiving palliative home care

Coping strategies of caregivers of patients receiving palliative home care

The Burden of Care: Psychosocial Experiences and Coping Strategies among Caregivers of Persons with Mental Illness in Ghana

This study investigated psychosocial experiences and coping strategies of caregivers of persons with mental illness in a psychiatric hospital in Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative design in which 20 participants (10 psychiatric nurses and 10 family caregivers) were sampled from the hospital and interviewed. Using thematic analysis, the results showed that stress was common with both psychiatric nurses and family caregivers, which impact on their physical health. Both groups of caregivers reported experiences of stigma, with psychiatric nurses being stigmatized mainly by other health workers whereas family caregivers reported stigma from the public, particularly neighbors. Coping strategies differed between family caregivers and psychiatric nurses, in that nurses mostly used avoidance strategies and humor in dealing with stress and stigma associated with their work whereas family caregivers used emotion-focused coping. The implications of these findings include the need for counseling services to help caregivers manage negative experiences and psychoeducation of caregivers on adaptive coping strategies as well as training strategies targeting the public and healthcare workers on measures to reduce the stigma associated with caring for persons with mental illnesses.

Experiences of family caregivers the first six months after patient diagnosis of necrotising soft tissue infection: A thematic analysis

BackgroundNecrotising soft tissue infection, or necrotising fasciitis, is a rapidly progressing disease requiring immediate diagnosis and treatment consisting of antimicrobial therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, debridement surgery and treatment in the intensive care unit. The harrowing illness trajectory affects the family caregivers potentially producing long-term psychological issues. ObjectivesWe aimed to explore the experiences and coping strategies of family caregivers during the first six months after patient diagnosis of necrotising soft tissue infection. MethodsOur study had a prospective, explorative, qualitative design using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to understand necrotising soft tissue infection as an intrinsic and instrumental case. Family caregivers (n = 25) were recruited at three university hospitals in Denmark and Sweden. FindingsWe identified three chronological themes describing issues of importance to the family caregivers. In the intensive care unit: Coping with illness and intensive care; In the ward: Coping with injury and post-intensive care and At home: Coping with recovery and new home life. ConclusionChallenges facing family caregivers of necrotising soft tissue infections survivors are still under-recognised. Healthcare professionals need to ensure that families and stakeholders throughout the patient trajectory have access to and co-create timely information and care plans to bridge the knowledge gap across care environments and to relieve family responsibility.

Care-giving Coping Strategies Among Mothers with Chronically Ill Children

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the study is to identify the types of stresses experienced and the coping strategies used by mothers who are responsible for providing care to their chronically ill and disabled children. A qualitative approach was selected to systematically document the experiences and highlight individual coping strategies. Purposive sampling was used in this qualitative pilot study, fifteen (15) mothers who were known to the researcher as well as two schools that specifically cater for children with disabilities were selected to participate in the study. Thirty questionnaires were handed out of which fifteen were returned. Data was collected using the coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP) to measure the extent to which parents perceived a number of coping strategies to be helpful in coping with the chronic illness of their child (ren). The scale comprised 45 items with 3 subscales. The results highlighted the types of stresses that were experienced by the mothers and the coping strategies practiced by these mothers when caring for their disabled children. Mothers who care for chronically ill children are faced with daily stress that relates to care as well as their personal life.