Parenting on High Alert: Stress, Stigma, and Survival in Families of Children With Emotional Disturbance

Children with severe emotional or behavioral problems often present great challenges to parents, schools, and society because their emotional and behavioral reactions are unpredictable and extreme. When a child's reactions are highly disproportionate to the circumstances, are frequent, and occur over a long time, they may be identified as having emotional disturbance (ED). The long-term risks associated with childhood ED include school drop-out, unemployment, and prison. These potential problems are frightening and stressful for parents to prevent or deal with the fallouts. Nevertheless, little is known about parents' experiences raising a child with ED or how their child's condition impacts them. This study used naturalistic inquiry to explore mothers' experiences raising a child with ED. After institutional review board approval, eight mothers with 10 children with ED were recruited nationally through social media. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed for common themes. Mothers live in a state of high alert, trying to survive the stress and stigma created by their child's ED. Mothers journeyed through escalating concerns to eventual confirmation that their child was not just difficult but had an ED. Mothers were overwhelmed by stress, cycles of escalating tension, hypervigilance, and isolation. Spouses often felt powerless to assist with the care of their child. Sibling bonds were strained or broken due to the unpredictable nature of ED. Finally, mothers shared ideas to help other families. This study provides details about families' unmet needs and self-care deficits. Findings suggest needed changes in healthcare practice to better support families of children with ED.