Mothers of children with chronic conditions: supportive and stressful interactions with partners and professionals regarding caregiving burdens.

Ninety mothers appraised the specific sources and types of social support they received in relation to specific types of demands of caring for a child with a chronic condition. Qualitative data were collected during home interviews with the mothers of children with diabetes, spina bifida, or cystic fibrosis. Virtually all of the mothers described primary caregiver demands that were directly related to the child's condition, such as physical care, health care in illness situations, and the child's psychological and social development. Many mothers also reported secondary demands related to their own needs, family roles and relationships, and the mother's activities outside the home. Mothers experienced gaps in the support provided for specific caregiving burdens and encountered stressful interactions with their partners and health professionals in particular.