The Investigation of the daily occupaiton of mothers of children with cerebral palsy

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the time use of daily occupation and quality of life of mothers of children with cerebral palsy with that of mothers of typically developing children and the experience of daily occupation of mothers of children with cerebral palsy. A diary-log and quality of life questionnaire were used to measure the participants’ time use during a weekday and health-related quality of life. The methods of grounded theory were used for discover the experience of daily occupation of Mothers. Quantitative data from 30 mothers of children with cerebral palsy and 30 mothers of children with typically developing were analyzed. Chinese Child Developmental Inventory was used as an indicator of children’s development. Qualitative data was gathered from the interviews with 7 mothers of children with cerebral palsy. Mother of children with cerebral palsy were found to less engage in caring others, work and rest, and spent more time in caring children with cerebral palsy. Mothers of children with cerebral palsy were poorer in physical health and environment domains of quality of life. 7 main themes emerged in the interview transcribed data. Mothers of cerebral palsy thought that their life should be focus on the child with cerebral palsy and the family. Therefore Mother devoted more time and energy to caregiving and less to social and interests .Repeated daily duty and caring made the mothers of children with cerebral palsy burnout. But with the support of the fathers, the pressure can be released and the cohesion between the couple or family member would be increased.
Possible reasons for these results were discussed. Further research and recommendation to clinics were suggested.