title: The adaptation of mothers of children with intellectual disability in Lebanon.
abstract: In many Middle Eastern countries, including Lebanon, there is a stigma attached to families who have an intellectually impaired child. These families complain of isolation and lack of community resources that could help them cope with their circumstances to optimize the child's abilities. Health professionals and researchers should be cognizant of factors related to the process of stress adaptation to help families cope with their circumstances. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify factors that play a role in mothers' adaptation to the care of their intellectually impaired children. The results, based on a sample of 127 mothers from Lebanon, reveal that a high percentage of mothers had depressive symptoms. Multiple regression analysis demonstrates that by order of importance, the factors that determine maternal depression are family strain, parental stress, and family income. The conclusions about nursing implications from a cultural perspective are discussed and recommendations proposed.
authors.affiliation: Balamand University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azar
authors.forename: Lina Kurdahi
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Badr
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000208:ethnology / Q000451:nursing*; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012944:Social Support; D013240:Stereotyping; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires