Comparison of quality of life of mothers with children with/ without disabilities: A sample based on Turkish population

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare quality of life (QOL) of mothers of children with disabilities with mothers of healthy children. METHOD: Five hundred and eighteen mothers living in Western of Turkey region completed the Short Form Health Survey (SF- 36). The mothers with children aged 8 to 312 months (190 mothers with physically disabled children, 182 mothers with intelligent disabilities children, and 146 mothers with healthy children) participated in the study. The mean age of the mothers was 33,89 ±7,2 years (ranges; 18- 68 years). RESULT: The motor developmental level of the children with disabilities described as follows; 43 apedal (11.5%), 87 quadripedal (23.3%), and 242 bipedal (65%). While significant differences among mothers in the following domains; “role limitations due to physical health”, “energy and fatigue”, “emotional well being”, and “general health” were found, no significant differences were detected concerning “physical functioning”, “role limitation due to emotional problems”, “social functioning”, and “pain”. These results show that the mothers with physical disabled children had less scores of the SF-36. When the mothers compared based on the motor developmental level of the children, significant differences were found in domains of the SF-36 Survey such as; “energy- fatigue”, “emotional well being”, and “general health”. Namely, the mothers with children with disabilities at apedal level had less scores of the SF-36 compared with mothers with children at bipedal or quadripedal level. CONCLUSION: Having a child with disability decreases QOL of the Turkish mothers. Also, the children at apedal level much more affect the QOL of the mothers than the children at bipedal or quadripedal level. The mothers with healthy children had better scores in domains of the SF- 36 compared to the mothers with disabled children