Experiences for mothers of persons with mental disorders working as leaders of family self-help groups : A descriptive qualitative study

セイシン　ショウガイ　ノ　コ　ヲ　モツ　ハハオヤ　ガ　カゾクカイ　ノ　カイチョウ　ヲ　スル　ケイケン　シツテキ　キジュツテキ　ケンキュウ

オカモト, アリサ

Okamoto, Arisa

蔭山, 正子

カゲヤマ, マサコ

Kageyama, Masako

家族

家族会

セルフヘルプ・グループ

mental disorders

family

family groups

self-help groups

Original Articles

Most members of family groups of people with mental disorders are mothers who are the primary caregivers, however, most group leaders are fathers. This study aimed to identify the experiences of mothers of people with mental disorders as family group leaders. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven mothers who had been group leaders for at least three years and were analyzed qualitatively descriptively. As a result, the following categories were generated as experiences of mothers as leaders: facing the onset of a mental disorder in their children; saved by meeting family groups; one mother standing up as leaders; activities utilizing strengths of mothers who know the inner of their families; and activities for the future after the death of parents. The mother leaders created an environment where they were comfortable speaking from the same position as the majority of the members and finding solutions to mental health and welfare issues and solutions. Mother leaders also disseminated to society the life-size opinions of people with mental disorders and their family members. In order to increase the number of mothers becoming group leaders, it is desirable to appreciate the strengths of activities unique to mothers and to enhance support for family groups, including care services for adult children, which is necessary to balance caregivers and group leaders.

蔭山, 正子