Mothers of children with mild neurological disabilities: Adaptational outcomes

The relations of stress and coping over time were investigated among mothers of children (N=36) with mild neurological disabilities and mothers of matched non-disabled (ND) children (N=36). Separate stress groups were formed with respect to changes in adaptational outcomes for the mothers of disabled and ND children. Mothers of disabled children with better adaptational outcomes had considered their self-esteem higher and used problem-focused coping and social support more often than mothers of disabled children with worse adaptational outcomes. Decrease of negative affects seemed to presuppose use of problem-focused coping more often mothers of disabled children than for those of ND children.This study has received financial support from the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Tampere, Finland, and from the University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Timo Virtanen, Institute of Migration, Piispankatu 3, SF-20500 Turku, Finland.