Mothers of children with an orofacial cleft: Satisfaction with motherhood and experience of stress

Abstract

Background/Purpose: In 2010, a study in the Netherlands was done to investigate and compare stress and satisfaction with motherhood of mothers of a child with an orofacial cleft and mothers of a child without an orofacial cleft. A sample of 76 mothers whose children, aged 0-4 years, with no other congenital malformation besides the orofacial cleft, were treated in the academic cleft palate center in Amsterdam, participated. Also a group of 52 mothers of children with no orofacial cleft, staying at a child day care, participated. Methods/Description: Both groups of mothers completed two questionnaires. The first questionnaire ('Motherhood Satisfaction Questionnaire') contained 18 items about satisfaction with motherhood, and consisted of two subscales ('Behavior of the child' and 'Support from others'). The second questionnaire (NOSI-k) contained 25 items concerning parental stress. This scale included five subscales ('Fastidiousness', 'Behavior child', 'Competence', 'Fatigue' and 'Difficulties'). All items on the questionnaires were answered on a 6- point scale (from 1 (= totally disagree) to 6 (= totally agree)). Results: No significant differences were found. Both groups of mothers scored high on both questionnaires, meaning that mothers of a child with an orofacial cleft were equally satisfied and experienced equal stress levels about their motherhood compared to the child day care group. Only the item 'If I have problems with my child or if I am concerned about the future, I can talk it through with family or friends' on the subscale 'Support of others' of the Motherhood Satisfaction questionnaire differed significantly. The regression analysis showed that for the patient group the subscale 'Competence' and for the child day care group the subscale 'Behavior Child' were significant predictors of the 'Satisfaction with Motherhood' grade. No difference was seen at subscale level and for the overall 'Motherhood Satisfaction' questionnaire and 'NOSI-k' questionnaire, among the mothers of a child with an orofacial cleft and the child day care group. Conclusions: It was concluded that mothers of children with a cleft did not substantively differ in satisfaction with motherhood and experienced stress compared to mothers of children without a cleft.