Examining the caregiving burden and stress situations of mothers with children with special needs

Aim: This research was conducted to examine the caregiving burden and stress situations of mothers with children with special needs. Materials and Methods: The research, which is descriptive and relationship-seeking, was conducted in Special education and rehabilitation centers in Bingöl city center between September 2022 and September 2023. The population of the research consists of the mothers of 2072 children who received education in special education and rehabilitation centers in Bingöl city center between the specified dates. The sample was determined as 324 individuals with the known sampling method. "Personal Information Form", "Zarit Caregiving Burden Scale" and Perceived Stress Scale were used to collect research data. SPSS package program was used to analyze the data. Percentage, mean, standard deviation, One-Way Analysis of Variance, t-Test in Independent Groups, Pearson Correlation and Simple Linear Regression analysis were used to evaluate the data. Results: It was found that 44% of the mothers were in the 30-39 age group, 87.0% had a disabled child and 51.9% of their children had a mental disability. It was determined that the total mean score of the mothers was 26.71±8.80 for the Zarit Caregiving Burden Scale and 27.00±11.35 for the Perceived Stress Scale. Mothers' age, education level, income level and child's disability type are above the Zarit Caregiving Burden scale score average; It has been determined that the place where the child lives and the number of disabled children he/she has are effective variables on the average score of the Perceived Stress Scale. A positive correlation was found between the mothers' Zarit Caregiving Burden Scale scores and Perceived Stress Scale scores (p<0.05). Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was found that the stress levels of mothers with children with special needs increased as the care burden increased. in order to reduce the care burden of mothers with children with special needs, it is recommended to provide economic support and to provide information and training to mothers regarding the care of children with special needs. Key Words: Care burden, Child with special needs, Mother, Nursing, Perceived stres.