Stressful experiences and coping strategies of parents of young children with Down syndrome: A qualitative study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have focused mostly on the negative experiences of parents of children with Down syndrome. We aimed to explore both the stressful experiences and coping strategies of parents from a non-Western country. METHODS: Twenty-six parents of children aged 8-48 months with Down syndrome were included. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The main themes of the stressful experiences were emotional burdens, caregiving burdens, struggle against stigma and discrimination, concerns about the future, challenges related to health, education, and financial issues. Parents used a variety of coping strategies to overcome the challenges by seeking support and help, searching for information, accepting and adapting, and adopting optimistic attitudes. CONCLUSION: Although being a parent of a child with Down syndrome has many challenges, most parents effectively used coping strategies and adapted their lives to their new parental roles in their child's early years.