Mental Health Dynamics in Families with Disabled Children
Author Information
Author(s): Erica Zahl, Hugo Cogo-Moreira, Trude Fredriksen, Solveig Kirchhofer, Stian Orm, Torun Vatne, Matteo Botta, Krister Fjermestad
Primary Institution: University of Oslo
Conclusion
Changes in maternal mental health and sibling adjustment are correlated, but they do not operate in a strictly bidirectional way.
Supporting Evidence
- Maternal mental health and sibling adjustment changes are correlated over time.
- Baseline sibling mental health had a nearly double impact on changes in maternal mental health compared to the reverse.
- Models with paternal mental health data could not be run due to low response rates.
Takeaway
When a child has a disability, both their mother and siblings can feel stressed, but how they affect each other’s feelings isn’t always the same.
Methodology
The study used baseline and 12-month follow-up data from a randomized controlled trial to examine relationships between parental and sibling mental health.
Potential Biases
The study may be biased due to the high percentage of White-European American families and highly educated mothers.
Limitations
The study lacked data from fathers and had a modest sample size, which may have limited the ability to detect bidirectional effects.
Participant Demographics
Siblings aged 8-16 years (57.3% female, 42.7% male) and their mothers (mean age 42.1 years).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.061 for baseline sibling mental health's impact on maternal mental health.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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