Let’s Diversify Our Thinking About Mothers and Motherhood

By Dr. Marina Heifetz, C.Psych

Let’s diversify our thinking about mothers and motherhood. In particular, mothers who have intellectual and or developmental disabilities (IDDs) are often overlooked in general discussions of mothers, as well as in the research and the clinical world. IDDs are a heterogeneous group of conditions, which include autism, Down syndrome, and other intellectual disabilities. Mothers with IDDs have high rates of mental illness, due to poverty, social isolation, and abuse. In our recent study, these mothers discussed some of the challenges related to parenting and the lack of support available to them. At the same time, the available support from professionals and families has been identified as being vital for reducing stress.

Motherhood and Judgments

The sentiment that motherhood is challenging enough without being constantly judged and supervised is one that dominates many thoughts and feelings that mothers with IDD have. These mothers face the extra challenge of needing to appear “capable” to the social workers who are often involved in supervising them. As such, many mothers with IDD have negative attitudes about social workers. In turn, while social workers work hard to support these mothers, they may lack specialized education in working with these mothers. For instance, words have power, and learning how to communicate clearly with people with IDD may be an important step forward.

Motherhood and Social Connections

Based on the current research, mothers with IDD often feel isolated. In addition to the distrust of professionals, these mothers often feel alone in their struggles. It is important to develop community supports where mothers with IDD can turn and feel at ease. These women may benefit from peer support and mental health education that is accessible for individuals with IDD.

Adapting Mental Health Support

While parenting support is important for mothers with IDD, many clinicians are not trained to explore these mothers’ mental health needs (despite the crucial need). In a recent study that explored clinicians’ perspectives on these issues, it was clear that many clinicians feel that providing mothers with IDD with “something physical” is very important. Knowing that we all learn differently and that people with IDD benefit from multi-sensory learning (say it, write it, provide visuals), developing these types of resources may be an important step in educating these mothers about mental health and strengthening their resilience.

Take Away Message

Overall, discussions (and actions) that are inclusive of mothers from all walks of life need to continue. As one of my favourite researchers and mentors, Dr. Nazilla Khanlou, has wisely stated: “Narratives of work-life balance to promote mental health and prevent burnout are exclusionary and not pertinent for folks who are poor, in precarious employment, unemployed, or marginalized. An equitable approach is to invest in a public mental health system, accessible to all.” The difficulties faced by mothers with IDD are ongoing and emphasizing the rights, dignity, and support of these mothers is vital in developing a more inclusive society.

References

Brown HK, Tint A, Heifetz M, Abou Chacra M, Bluestein D, Vigod SN, Lunsky Y. (2022). Barriers and requirements for parenting supports and mental health care among mothers with intellectual disabilities: Health and social service-provider perspectives. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 126, 1-9.

Heifetz, M., Brown, H.K., Abou Chacra, M., Tint, A., Vigod, S., Bluestein, D., & Lunsky, Y. (2019). Mental health challenges and resilience among mothers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Disability and Health Journal, 12, 602-607.

This article was originally published in Psychology Today. Visit it here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/raising-mindful-kids/202205/let-s-diversify-our-thinking-about-mothers-and-motherhood