The Structure and Function of Social Networks of Mothers of Young Children With Disabilities.

Autor: Kilburn, Janice E., Shapiro, Cheri J.
Předmět:
Zdroj: Topics in Early Childhood Special Education; Feb2020, Vol. 39 Issue 4, p250-259, 10p
Abstrakt: The current exploratory study examines the structure and function of social support for mothers of very young children (under 24 months) with a range of disabilities who are receiving Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C early intervention services. The psychological well-being and social networks of 88 mothers in one state were assessed. Associations between network characteristics and maternal stress were found for the total network, along with a connection between lowered depression and concrete support from the spouse/partner and lowered stress and emotional support from professional helpers. This study mirrors some findings of similar studies of mothers with older children with disabilities but uniquely found spouse/partner support to be prominent. Implications for both research and early intervention practitioners are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index