Maternal adaptation to pediatric illness: A personal vulnerability model

The aim of this study was to explain variability in maternal adaptation to pediatric illness using a structural equation model. The suggested Personal Vulnerability Model emphasizes personal vulnerability (high neuroticism and low optimism) and incorporates family support, emotion-focused coping, stress, and illness severity as predictors of maternal adaptation. Mothers (N = 148) of children undergoing neurosurgery reported levels of neuroticism, optimism, dyadic adjustment, family support, emotion-focused coping, objective burden, mental health, and self-rated health. Results show that the Personal Vulnerability Model accounts for 86% of the variance in maternal adaptation. Personal vulnerability decreases adaptation directly and also indirectly by increasing emotion-focused coping and decreasing family support. The severity of the child's medical state plays only a minor role in determining maternal adaptation. The best predictor of maternal adaptation is personal vulnerability, which directly and indirectly affects the mother's mental and physical well-being.