Caring, employment, and quality of life: comparison of employed and nonemployed mothers of adults with intellectual disability.
Help mothers of adults with ID keep paid work and share caregiving—their physical health improves.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team sent surveys to mothers who care for adults with intellectual disability.
They asked who had a paid job and who shared caregiving duties with others.
Then they compared physical health quality of life between the groups.
What they found
Mothers who worked outside the home felt healthier.
Mothers who had help with daily care also felt healthier.
Both work and shared care gave the same lift to physical well-being.
How this fits with other research
Bizzego et al. (2020) saw the opposite: parents of young kids with ID in poor countries felt worse, not better.
The clash disappears when you notice age and place.
Their parents chase toddlers all day with little help, while Yueh-Ching’s parents have adult services and can choose jobs.
Leung et al. (2011) used the same survey style and also found that extra support—home nurses—helps mothers of people with ID.
Together the papers say: give caregivers real help, whether it is a job, a nurse, or another family member, and their bodies thank you.
Why it matters
You can open a parent meeting with one question: “Who helps you besides us?”
If the answer is “no one,” add respite or shared care to the plan.
A mom who keeps her job stays healthier and stays in the family’s life for the long haul.
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Join Free →Ask each primary caregiver, “Who gives you a break?” If the answer is no one, list respite vouchers or adult day program hours in the next ISP revision.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
The effects of caregiving on mothers of adults with intellectual disability was examined by determining whether there are differences in quality of life and related factors between mothers with different employment status. Study participants were 302 working-age mothers who had adult children with intellectual disability based on the 2008 census survey on intellectual disability carried out in Hsinchu, City, Taiwan. Results revealed that nonemployed mothers are more likely to have a lower level of health status, including the WHOQOL Physical Health domain, than are mothers employed fulltime. Multiple regression analysis showed that mothers' quality of life was significantly determined by the availability of a person with whom they could share care work, family income, social support, and employment status.
American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2010 · doi:10.1352/1944-7558-115.5.406