Co-occupations: The caregiving challenges of mothers of children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Introduction This study was conducted in an Iranian context to explore the co-occupations of mothers of children with cerebral palsy as experienced by them. Method This qualitative study was conducted using content analysis methodology. Sixteen mothers of children with cerebral palsy participated in the study. Data was collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Constant comparative analysis was deployed for data analysis. Results The results were classified into nine sub-categories and four main categories that were identified as (1) coping with self-care problems, (2) effort to gain treatment follow-up, (3) coping challenges of educational care, and (4) limited parental personal leisure time. Conclusion Understanding the challenges of caring for a child with cerebral palsy and the experiences of mothers when engaging in co-occupations with their child, provides a broader perspective of the potential impact on participation and engagement of mothers. However, more research is required to understand the various factors influencing participation and co-occupations and interaction effects between these factors.