Chinese Immigrant Mothers of Children with Developmental Disabilities: Stressors and Social Support

This qualitative study examined Chinese immigrant mothers of children with developmental disabilities (DDs) about their experiences of stressors, social support, and traditional cultural beliefs in Canada. Fifteen mothers were recruited from Toronto through one community organization. One-on-one semi-structured in-depth interviews on mothers in Mandarin were used in private settings. A descriptive qualitative approach was applied (Sandelowski, Research in Nursing & Health, 23, 334-340, 2000, Research Nursing Health, 33(1), 77-84, 2010). Analyses were guided by House's (1981) classification of social support (structural, instrumental, emotional, and perceptive). Mothers expressed challenges in accessing services for their children, such as limited financial resources, occupational unemployment, excessive paper work, long waiting times, language barriers, limited knowledge of social services, emotional strain, transportation difficulties, dispersed services, and feelings of "loss of face." All mothers actively seek treatments for their children without traditional "reciprocity thought." The findings provide a better understanding of Chinese immigrant mothers' experiences raising children with DDs in Canada. Implications of the study are also discussed.