DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/X5Q8-1G81
Defense Date
2010
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Barbara Myers
Abstract
The present study used quantitative and qualitative methodology to examine mothers’ hope and worry. Participants were recruited via autism and Down syndrome organizations. Two hundred fifty-nine mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (n = 199) and Down syndrome (n = 60) responded to the online questionnaire. Most mothers were white (n = 230); eighty-seven percent were married and their average age was 39.06 years. Findings support previous research suggesting that hope is a protective factor against psychological distress: mothers with higher hope reported lower dispositional worry. Mothers were asked to describe what they worried about when they woke up at night; a thematic analysis of their responses resulted in identification of a number of self-focused and child and family-focused concerns. Results suggest that maternal level of education as well as child’s age, diagnosis and severity of impairment may impact mother’s level of hope and worry.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
May 2010