Stressors of mothers of epileptic children: A review article

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic illness often impacts the entire family system. It is always mothers who fulfill the main caregiving role and show higher levels of strain and srtess. The purpose of this study was to identify and explore these sourse of stress in mothers.Methods: This study reviewed the scientific references of authentic databases and journals, including Medline, Pubmed, Scopuse, SID, Web of science, Clinicalkey and Iranian Databases. Overall,32 scientific studies conducted during 2005- 2019 were collected.Results :Data analyses revealed this categories of sources of stress in mothers: changes in family relationship, concern about the child, communication with healthcare providers, interaction with the school, responsibility for treatment management, poorer psychological adjustment in children, the children’s academic achievement, the burden of care, the social stigma and certain worries mostly regarding the unpredictability of seizures.Conclusion: Childhood epilepsy is associated with markedly increased maternal stress. Increased stress is due predominantly to child factors. Results reveal the stressor effect of psychological factors on mothers. Mothers would strongly benefit from added support to alleviate the constant caregiving demands.

Keywords:

epilepsy , parenting stress , children