Socioeconomic And Cultural Determinants Of Maternal Stress In Parents Of Children With Special Needs: A Cross-Sectional Study
Keywords:
Maternal Stress, Socioeconomic Status, Cultural Determinants, Special Needs, Social SupportAbstract
This paper examines the socioeconomic and cultural issues that have a bearing on maternal stress in mothers with children with special needs. The research design employed a quantitative cross-sectional design in which data were sampled out of 250 mothers in the urban and semi-urban areas of Kerala with purposive sampling and structured questionnaires. The main variables that were investigated are the socioeconomic status, cultural beliefs, perceived social support, and total maternal stress levels. The relationships among the variables were assessed using descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analysis. The results show that low socioeconomic status, cultural stigma of disability, and absence of social support are major contributors of increased maternal levels of stress. On the other hand, higher education, work, and family support are found to be strong protective elements to reduce stress. The paper highlights the urgent importance of culturally sensitive counseling services, economic empowerment services and inclusive social policies to enhance maternal health. Although it has its merits, the study has been credited with some weaknesses including the cross-sectional design, data self-reported, and small-scale geographic coverage. Research in the future must undertake longitudinal and comparative research designs in different cultural contexts to gain more insight on such determinants.
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