The Impact of Time Use in Different Occupation Areas on Time Deficiency Among Mothers Depending on the Presence of...

Previous research has documented time use patterns among mothers of children with disabilities, but few studies have examined how time allocation across specific occupational domains influences perceived time deficiency. Understanding this relationship is important for developing interventions to support these mothers' well-being and occupational balance.

This study is aimed at investigating differences in mothers' time use across occupational domains based on whether their child has a disability and examining how time allocation affects perceived time deficiency.

This study included 210 mothers (105 with children with disabilities and 105 with typically developing children) residing in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, South Korea. Participants completed 24-h time diaries, which were categorized according to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (fourth edition). Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression.

Mothers of children with disabilities spent significantly more time on instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) than mothers of typically developing children (512.57 vs. 363.90 min, p < 0.001), particularly in child rearing (235.52 vs. 76.67 min, p < 0.001) and healthcare system communication (20.38 vs. 3.05 min, p < 0.001). Conversely, they spent less time on activities of daily living (ADLs) (142.76 vs. 165.52 min, p < 0.01) and work (67.05 vs. 208.10 min, p < 0.001). Mothers of children with disabilities reported significantly higher levels of time deficiency (3.09 ± 0.67 vs. 2.61 ± 0.75, p < 0.001). Among mothers of children with disabilities, increased time spent on ADLs significantly reduced time deficiency (B = -0.004, p < 0.001), whereas IADL time showed a positive but nonsignificant association with time deficiency.

Mothers of children with disabilities experience occupational imbalance characterized by substantially increased caregiving demands and reduced personal care time, leading to heightened time deficiency. These findings highlight the need for caregiver support services and occupational balance interventions to improve these mothers' quality of life and well-being.