Abstract
The birth of a child with Down Syndrome may represent a risk of maternal stress, thus requiring the use of coping strategies. This research identified the main stressors and coping strategies adopted by nine mothers of children with Down Syndrome. The participants answered the questions of an interview script adapted from the Motivational Theory of Coping Scale – 12. The main stressors identified were as follows: social prejudice, routine care, child behavior problems, developmental disorders, and health issues. Most mothers adopted adaptive strategies such as Self-reliance, Support Seeking, Information Seeking, Problem Solving, Negotiation, and Accommodation. Some mothers employed maladaptive coping strategies such as Escape, Social Isolation, Submission, and Helplessness. The use of adaptive strategies increases the chances of medium- and long-term benefits regarding maternal mental health.
Keywords
Coping; Mothers; Down Syndrome; Stress
