A Study on Psychiatric Morbidity and It’s Correletes Among Mothers of Children with Intellectual Disability Disorder in Northern Karnataka

BACKGROUND:  Worldwide, the prevalence of intellectual disability disorder (IDD) is as high as 2.3%.  IDD produces psychological, social and financial distress to the whole family, particularly parents, as they are usually the  constant caretakers. Mothers of these children, being the primary caregivers undergo more psychological distress than other members in their families. OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and it’s correlates among mothers of children with IDD. MATERIALS AND METHOD:  A cross- sectional study was conducted among 133 mothers of   children with IDD consulting tertiary care psychiatry unit in northern Karnataka. Mothers, who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study were interviewed. Socio- demographic data was collected using semi structured  pro forma and psychiatric morbidity was assessed using M.I.N.I. Plus 5.0.0 scale. RESULTS: Mean age of mothers is found to be 33.48 years and majority of them have completed their primary education (45.11%),  (71.4%)  hail from rural background (67.67%). Majority of children were diagnosed with mild mental retardation (46.62%). Study results showed that 52 ( 39.1%) of them had psychiatric morbidity.  The most common morbidity being somatization disorder 22(16.54%) followed by Dysthymia 10.53% (14), MDD 11(8.27%), GAD 5(3.76%). Majority of psychiatric morbidity was seen among mothers of children with mild IDD. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: The study shows high psychiatric morbidity in mothers  of children with intellectual disability, and psychiatric screening should be considered among mothers of  children with intellectual disability  and help them to develop effective coping strategies to handle the burden of care giving and improve their quality of life.