Mothers' voices on the internet: stress, support and perceptions of mothers of children with learning disabilities and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

The goal of this study was to explore maternal stressors, needs, supports, perceptions, and self-identity as expressed by mothers of children with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in electronic messages posted on an Internet discussion board. The sample consisted of 316 mothers of children with learning disabilities and/or ADHD, who wrote 1,502 messages during a 12-month period. Through content analysis, mothers' authentic descriptions of distress, conflicts with schools, as well as their children's learning, social, and behavioral difficulties were examined. Participants disclosed both positive and negative perceptions of themselves, their families and their children. This is the first study to examine the online messages of mothers of children with learning disabilities and/or ADHD, and the results contribute to an in-depth understanding of mothers' stress as it relates to their identity formation. Implications for staff sensitization and parental learning are discussed.