Intensive‐invisible mothering: The experiences of mothers of adult children with dual diagnosis

Abstract

The experiences of mothers of adult offspring with a dual diagnosis have rarely been discussed in the literature, despite growing involvement and responsibility of mothers for daily care of their children. Interpretive phenomenological analysis of in-depth interviews was used to examine the mothering experience of 12 mothers of adult offspring with dual diagnosis. The analysis revealed that the mothers' experiences were intensive, abusive, and isolating, and simultaneously rendered them invisible, undervalued, or ignored by professionals, community, and family. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that this experience of 'intensive-invisible' mothering was promoted or prevented by three intersecting mechanisms, identified here as discursive, institutional, and spatial. The research contributes to the fields of knowledge regarding family members of people with mental health problems, by adding a theoretical layer that takes into account how public discourses of motherhood mould women's accounts of their mothering experience. Practical implications of these findings for professionals working with these mothers are discussed. Specifically, therapeutic intervention that focuses on identifying and modifying the underlying psychological and social processes associated with the 'intensive-invisible' mothering experience could be useful.

A Scoping Review of the Maternal Role at Older Age; Perceptions and Occupations

“…Our literature search revealed only a few studies that included information regarding the maternal role occupations of healthy older women. Most studies focused on mothers with functional disabilities or mothers to children with disabilities [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Older women comprise a large and growing proportion of the older population, and face higher risks of illness and chronic conditions than older men [ 24 , 25 ].…”

What mental health nurses have to say about themselves: A discourse analysis

“…(2019, p. 1315) state, ‘… dementia specialist nurses, including mental health nurses practising in the aged persons’ mental health field, should fully consider the caregiving circumstances…’ (MHNs = 1); or if mentioned at all, a MHN was identified as an author, part of the research team, or recruiter of research participants (Duxbury et al . 2019; Gueta & Tam 2019; Mortimer‐Jones et al . 2019) (MHNs = 1).…”