ERIC Number: EJ1354001
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Dec
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1744-6295
EISSN: EISSN-1744-6309
"Life-Altering": A Qualitative Analysis of Social Media Birth Stories from Mothers of Children with Down Syndrome
Kammes, Rebecca R.; Lachmar, E. Megan; Douglas, Sarah N.; Schultheiss, Hannah
Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, v26 n4 p919-937 Dec 2022
Perinatal depression/anxiety is a significant concern for mothers of children with Down syndrome. This is influenced by the way the Down syndrome diagnosis is shared with parents. This study examined social media posts from mothers regarding experiences of the birth of their child with Down syndrome. Forty-three total stories were coded using thematic content analysis. Results highlighted the experiences of mother's who received a diagnosis of Down syndrome for their newborn. Two themes were found with relevant subthemes (i.e., receiving the diagnosis--mother's intuition, confirmation of the diagnosis, influence of potential health concerns, initial emotions, impact of the medical professional; Processing the diagnosis--life-altering, child not meeting expectations, reframing the diagnosis, impact of partner and others). Findings highlight the need for medical personnel to understand this identity-changing process, as perinatal depression/anxiety looks different for these mothers. There is also a need to help them engage in services accordingly.
Descriptors: Mothers, Birth, Disclosure, Down Syndrome, Social Media, Story Telling, Neonates, Parent Attitudes, Clinical Diagnosis, Emotional Response, Coping, Health Personnel, Role, Anxiety, Depression (Psychology), Child Health, Stress Variables, Intuition
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A