Degree
BS (Social Sciences & Liberal Arts)
Faculty / School
School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)
Department
Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts
Date of Award
Spring 2023
Date of Submission
2023-06-08
Advisor
Dr. Ayesha Zia, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences
Project Type
SSLA Culminating Experience
Access Type
Restricted Access
Keywords
Abstract
Research has shown the effect of caregiving burden and stress on parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and how this experience of parenting can be influenced by the external social support received from familial and non-familial sources. This paper hence aims to explore the experiences of mothers of children with Down Syndrome in Karachi, Pakistan, with the research questions lending focus on the supportive and non-supportive factors that influence the experience of social support received from familial and non-familial sources, the subjective experience of stress in mothers’ lives and its impact on their physical health, and recommendations of parents and field experts in improving quality and quantity of social support for these families. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 mothers of children with Down Syndrome. Thematic analysis was conducted on the data collected to generate relevant themes. Results showed that mothers experienced negligent and poor treatment from schools, healthcare providers, and extended relatives, stemming from stigma and lack of awareness surrounding Down Syndrome, and a neglectful attitude from their husbands. They relied mostly on welfare organizations for social support, reportedly receiving no governmental assistance. Lastly, mothers experienced high levels of caregiver burden and stress and lack of self-care, which affected their physical health. An expert interview was also conducted with a field expert to curate a set of recommendations, which included governmental provision of concessions in schooling and healthcare, proper implementation of disability law, and increased awareness campaigns.
Pages
60
Recommended Citation
Rizwan, W. (2023). Parenting a child with Down Syndrome in Karachi, Pakistan: Mothers’ experiences of stress and social support (Unpublished undergraduate project). Institute of Business Administration, Pakistan. Retrieved from https://ir.iba.edu.pk/sslace/203
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