2011 Volume 48 Issue 5 Pages 351-360
The purpose of the present study was to investigate factors related to the emotional experiences of mothers (N=203) of children with high-functioning pervasive developmental disorders (HFPDD) and related factors at the time of their child's diagnosis. When a factor analysis was conducted of participants' responses on a questionnaire, 3 factors were obtained: "anxiety and shock", "sense of relief", and "self-reproach". Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis revealed the following main findings: "anxiety and shock" was related to the duration of time that the mothers had worried about their child's troubles, when the diagnosis was made, and dissatisfaction with the explanation received. "Sense of relief" was related to when the diagnosis was made and satisfaction with the explanation received. "Self-reproach" was related to the duration of time that the mothers had worried about their child's troubles, when the diagnosis was made, satisfaction with the explanation received, and insufficient official support. Limitations of the study and clinical implications were discussed.
