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Home / Our research / Determinants of health and inequalities research / Carers and families / Mental ill-health in mothers of children with learning disabilities at different stages of caregiving

Mental ill-health in mothers of children with learning disabilities at different stages of caregiving

Background

Little research has investigated maternal-carer mental ill-health at different stages of caregiving, including following the death of a child with learning disabilities. The aim of this paper was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with mental ill-health in mothers caring for children with learning disabilities, both overall and at different stages of caregiving, including after the death of a child.

What we did

We carried out a population cohort study of 9,787 mothers of offspring with learning disabilities, matched with 30,235 mothers of offspring without learning disabilities. This was a secondary data analysis and data linkage of administrative and health records.

Mental ill-health was ascertained from three sources (self-report (Scotland’s Census 2011), medications (Prescribing Information System), hospital admissions (SMR04)), in which the mother is considered as having a mental health condition if at least one of the sources confirms so. For outcomes following the death of the child (National records Scotland) post Census 2011, mental health of the mothers was assessed on medication use and psychiatric hospital admissions only.

What we found

• Mothers of offspring with learning disabilities were more likely to experience mental ill-health compared to mothers of offspring without learning disabilities.
• Among mothers of offspring with learning disabilities, those who had mental ill-health were more likely to experience long term health problems and experience poorer socioeconomic circumstances (e.g. greater neighbourhood deprivation) compared to those who did not have mental ill-health.
• Mental ill-health was similar for mothers whose offspring with (40.5%) or without learning disabilities (38.3%) had died.

What these findings mean

Support for maternal carers is needed throughout the caregiving journey, given the high rates of mental ill-health.

Read the full article published in the Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 

 

Cairns, D., K. Dunn, R. Young, et al. 2026. “ Mental Ill-Health in Mothers Caring for Offspring With Intellectual Disabilities at Different Stages of Caregiving: Secondary Data Analysis and Data Linkage of Administrative and Health Records.” Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 39, no. 1: e70200. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.70200.

 

View other information

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