Mothering Children with Visual Impairment in Ghana: an Exploration of Expectations and Challenges

Abstract

Objectives

The quality of parenting arguably determines the quality of life that a child will live in the future. Although both mothers and fathers are expected to contribute toward raising their children, in the cultural context of sub-Saharan Africa, mothers automatically become the primary caregivers and managers of domestic affairs. In the event that there are children with disabilities in a family, the mother is expected to be the carer. While having a child with a disability places an additional burden on mothers due to the child’s unique characteristics, there is only a small body of literature on mothering children with visual impairments (VI) in the African context. In a cultural environment such as that of Ghana, it is important to understand mothering experiences.

Methods

Twenty mothers of children with VI who were at least 18 years old took part in this qualitative descriptive study. A semi-structured interview guide was developed and used to collect the data, which were then subjected to thematic analysis.

Results

Three themes were identified: opportunities for development, support services, and challenges faced by mothers. While the sample of mothers demonstrated high expectations, resilience, and a commitment toward raising their children, support services were unavailable to them.

Conclusions

While shouldering all the caregiving responsibilities, the participants remained resilient, did not appear to be stressed, and were committed to raising their children with VI.