The Effects of Time Use Training on the Level of Stress among the Mothers of Female Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Background: The parents of children with intellectual disabilities may have problems in effective use of their time and hence, suffer from varying levels of stress. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of time use training on stress among the mothers of female children with intellectual disabilities. Methods: In this experimental study, eighty mothers of school-age female children with intellectual disabilities were selected through cluster random sampling from two schools in the west of Tehran, Iran. They were randomly allocated either to a control or an intervention group. A six-hour time use training workshop was held for participants in the intervention group, while their counterparts in the control group did not receive any time use training. Data on participants’ time use and stress were collected before and six weeks after the intervention using the Mothers’ Time Use Questionnaire and the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress, respectively. The Chi-square, paired-sample t, and independent-samples t tests were used for data analysis. Results: The mean score of time management quality in the intervention group significantly increased from 42.10 ± 6.46 to 46.80 ± 6.98 (P = 0.003) and the mean score of stress in this group significantly reduced from 29.3 ± 4.46 to 26.38 ± 5.67 (P = 0.007). However, none of these mean scores significantly changed in the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The mothers of children with intellectual disability may benefit from time use training programs.