Psychological Characteristics of Mothers of Children with Chronic Illnesses: A Focus on Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background: Mothers of children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) frequently face high levels of psychological stress. While the impact of this stress on caregiving is well documented, the potential role of spirituality as a protective factor has received limited attention. Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationships among psychological symptoms, spirituality, and coping in mothers caring for children with T1DM, with a particular focus on the potential protective role of spirituality in caregiver resilience. Methods: A total of 134 mothers completed validated Greek versions of the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Spiritual and Religious Attitudes in Dealing with Illness (SpREUK) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore associations and predictive relationships. Results: Participants reported elevated psychological symptoms, particularly somatization, anxiety, and depression. Regression analysis revealed that trust in higher guidance was a significant negative predictor of somatization (b = −0.775, p < 0.001), indicating a potential buffering effect. In contrast, the search for support was positively associated with somatization (b = 0.704, p < 0.001), suggesting a more reactive coping pattern. Other spiritual variables, including the total spirituality score and reflection, were not statistically significant in the multivariate model. Conclusions: These findings highlight the relevance of spirituality—particularly spiritual trust—in understanding psychological distress among caregiving mothers. Incorporating existential and spiritual elements into psychosocial interventions may enhance maternal well-being. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify spirituality’s role as a protective or mediating factor in chronic caregiving contexts.