Mental Health and Health Behaviour Changes for Mothers of Children with a Disability: Effectiveness of a Health and Wellbeing Workshop

Helen M Bourke-Taylor; Kahli S Joyce; Sarah Grzegorczyn; Loredana Tirlea

doi:10.1007/s10803-021-04956-3

Mental Health and Health Behaviour Changes for Mothers of Children with a Disability: Effectiveness of a Health and Wellbeing Workshop

J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Feb;52(2):508-521. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-04956-3. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Authors

Helen M Bourke-Taylor¹, Kahli S Joyce², Sarah Grzegorczyn³, Loredana Tirlea⁴

Affiliations

¹ Occupational Therapy Department, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Peninsula Campus, Building G, Level 4, McMahons road, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia. helen.bourke-taylor@monash.edu.
² Occupational Therapy Department, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Peninsula Campus, Building G, Level 4, McMahons road, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia.
³ Occupational Therapy Department, Peninsula Health, Hastings road, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia.
⁴ Faculty of Health, Arts, and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, 3122, Australia.

Abstract

Healthy Mothers Healthy Families (HMHF) is a program that educates and empowers mothers of children with disabilities to improve health behaviours. Outcomes were investigated in this study. A pre, post-test design was implemented using online questionnaires including the Health promoting activities scale (HPAS) and the Depressional anxiety stress scales (DASS). Mothers (N = 71) experienced improvements in HPAS scores, p < .001. Mental health symptomatology reduced: depressive symptoms (p = .005), Anxiety symptoms (p = .005) and stress (p = .002). Wellbeing improved (p < .001). Mothers also reported that their child with a disability experienced an increase in quality of life (p = .042). Mothers' lifestyles goals improved: managing stress; dietary changes; leisure; self-perception and others. HMHF is an effective intervention with improved health status and outcomes for mothers.

Keywords: Childhood disability; Mental health; Mothers; Wellbeing.

MeSH terms

Autism Spectrum Disorder*
Child
Female
Health Behavior
Humans
Mental Health
Mothers*
Quality of Life