Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the psychological changes experienced by mothers of children having developmental disabilities, with a particular focus on their posttraumatic growth as both mothers and individuals. For this purpose, the autobiographical writings of eight mothers who participated in a five-session of an autobiographical writing program were qualitatively analyzed through a thematic analysis. The mothers, who initially struggled from psychological distress upon the diagnosis of their children’s disability, gradually accepted their children’s disabilities, overcame psychological distress, and ultimately reclaimed their lives. In this process, the mothers also developed an increased interest in social minorities and underwent changes in their attitudes and values toward life. Specifically, eight themes with 28 subthemes were identified: a Life transition: becoming ‘a mother of a child having disabilities’, experiencing psychological distress, positive meaning making of their children’s disabilities, experiencing psychological recovery, living as myself rather than ‘a mother of a child having disabilities’, changes in perceptions and attitudes toward disability, finding the presence of supporters, and unresolved difficulties. Through this process, this study not only explored the challenges of parenting childrens having disabilities but also looked deeper into the postttraumatic growth of mothers of children having developmental disability, which is a topic often neglected in previous research. Additionally, the study captured the mothers’ desire to live as an independent individual by integrating their experiences of raising a child having disability into their lives.