Psychological stress in Thai mothers of children with cognitive disabilities: the predictors and consequences of coping strategies and perceived controllability

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of personal and environmental factors on maternal stress, being mediating by perceived controllability to cope with emotion and problems of life situations, on Thai mothers of children with cognitive disabilities. Total sample of participants was 800 Thai mothers, in Thailand. Data for the research were collected using a questionnaire that consisted of the following standardized scales, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation (for problem & emotion) focused coping (CISS), Locus of Control Scale (LOC), Self- Compassion (SC), Self – Efficacy (SE), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Child Behavioral Scale (CBS), and Controllability Scale (CAS). In order to meet the objective of this study, an indirect model was designed and conducted via structural equation modeling (SEM), employed to measure the three nested (direct, indirect and full path) models. Evaluation and comparison of the fit of these three nested models posited to the full path models were more parsimonious and better fitting than the others path models. The results revealed that children’s behavioral problems directly, self- compassion, self- efficacy direct and indirectly, social support, indirectly affected to maternal stress by mediating perceived controllability and coping strategies.