"Thanks to my child, I discovered that I am strong and I grew up with my child": Personal growth in mothers of children with Down syndrome in Turkey.
Turkish mothers narrate clear post-diagnosis growth—strength, spirituality, closer ties—so BCBAs should mine and amplify these stories during parent training.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Gokgoz et al. (2022) talked with Turkish mothers of children with Down syndrome. They asked open questions about life after the diagnosis.
The team used grounded-theory methods. They kept interviewing until no new ideas came up.
What they found
Mothers said the diagnosis first hurt, but later they felt stronger. They spoke of better communication, deeper faith, and new purpose.
Growth did not erase grief. It sat beside it. Mothers called the child their teacher.
How this fits with other research
Trew (2025) and Higgins et al. (2021) heard the same growth themes from mothers of autistic children in China and Israel. The pattern crosses diagnoses and cultures.
Lancioni et al. (2006) tracked stress in Down-syndrome mothers over time and saw it rise. That sounds opposite, yet it matches: early stress can later fuel growth.
Gokgoz et al. (2021) asked the same Turkish mothers about sex education. There, mothers felt lost and ashamed. The 2022 study shows they also hold strong positive stories. Services must speak to both sides.
Why it matters
When you meet a new family, ask, "What has this child taught you?" Write the answer in the file. Use it to plan parent goals that build on existing strength instead of fixing only problems.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study aims to examine the impact of a Down syndrome diagnosis on mothers' experiences in Turkey and to understand how they construct their mothering in the context of personal growth despite the emotional and social difficulties they encounter. Grounded theory was used in this study. Data were taken from in-depth interviews with 15 mothers, and analysed using a systematic and hierarchical approach based on a constant comparative method. There also emerged three primary categories: reconstruction of mothering; factors affecting the process; and response to the changing life. The mothers explained that they experienced personal growth, such as feeling stronger, improving their ability to communicate, and becoming "closer to God". More cultural research is needed to explore the unique nature of the experiences and personal growth processes of mothers of children with Down syndrome.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2022 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104217