Reflections of Adult Children of Mothers with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

This multiple case study explores the phenomena of being raised by parents with intellectual disabilities from the adult child’s perspective. Autoethnographic data was collected from the author and 4 non-disabled adults who were raised by mothers who had intellectual disabilities. The significance of the parent’s disability, parent/child relationship and the social factors that either hindered or facilitated the family are discussed. This study found that the majority of the families were at risk of losing custody of their children and that extended family or support services protected the family unit and provided valuable support to the children. It was common for the participants to have additional responsibilities growing up. All of the adult children achieved typical adult outcomes. The adult children interviewed typically did not define their maternal relationships in terms of disability or limitations and all maintained a strong relationship with their mothers.

Motherhood and intellectual disability in Spain: Experienced difficulties and shared desires for change

“…The best example of this is the implicit consideration of the children of mothers with intellectual disabilities as ‘children at risk’ (Perkins et al, 2002), which leads to the deprivation of custody as a response (Albert et al, 2022). Some studies already point to a decrease in the removal of custody in the last few years (Bachrach, 2023; Jamieson et al, 2016; Lightfoot & DeZelar, 2020; Slayter & Jensen, 2019), which could be explained as a consequence of effective changes in the guidelines followed by the assessment processes of the needs of mothers with intellectual disabilities and their children and as a result of legislative advances and social movements in pro of the rights of people with disabilities. The responses, however, would be much different if the context of these mothers and the possible support to be offered for the development of their children's upbringing were analysed.…”

“…More recent international data have pointed out that around 20% of all children who are removed by Child Protective Services are from parents with intellectual disabilities (Lightfoot & DeZelar, 2020; Pacheco et al, 2022). The risk of losing the custody of their children is much higher in mothers with intellectual disabilities and the fear that they have of this happening has been consistently underlined by studies in the field (Bachrach, 2023; Lightfoot & DeZelar, 2020; Slayter & Jensen, 2019). This fear has been identified as one of the variables explaining women's delay in asking for help, telling others about the pregnancy, and engaging with the support offered to them (Jamieson et al, 2016).…”