Abstract

The study sought to explore in depth the care stress experienced by mothers with children with adult autism categorical disabilities through qualitative research. ln view of such significance, eight mothers who were taking care of their children with autism and categorical disorder living in three small and medium cities in Gyeongsangbuk-do were analyzed using a snowball sampling method. ln-depth individual interviews were conducted with two categories, 7 sub-categories, and 63 concepts. The two categories are: The first category included difficulties due to differing and changing according to developmental stages and growth proccesses from infancy/ early childhood through school age to adulthood, The second category indicated the difficulties continuing even in adulthood, such as difficulties in everyday activities, difficulty coping with problem behavior, emotional difficulties, and economic difficulties. Such diverse characteristics of life cycle and context, and the mother who takes care of constant difficulties of life from childhood to adulthood, were under stress. Based on the study results, the implications and limitations of the findings was discussed