Maternal stress in families of children with special healthcare needs: The role of healthcare experiences
- 1Florida Center for Prevention Research, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, U.S.A.
- 2Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.
- 3Department of Human Development and Family Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, U.S.A.
Abstract
Background: Children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) often require complex, ongoing, and coordinated care. Mothers frequently serve as primary caregivers and may experience elevated stress related to managing their child’s medical needs and navigating healthcare systems. Healthcare experiences may shape how medical complexity relates to maternal stress.
Objectives: This study examined maternal stress as the primary outcome in relation to children’s medical complexity and healthcare experiences, including care coordination, family-centered care, and shared decision-making, while accounting for sociodemographic characteristics.
Design: This study used a cross-sectional design and secondary analysis of nationally representative survey data.
Methods: Data were drawn from the 2016-2020 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), including 18,190 mothers of CSHCN. Mothers provided information on their child’s medical complexity, healthcare experiences, maternal stress, and sociodemographic characteristics, including child race/ethnicity, sex, age, family structure, number of children, federal poverty level, and community setting. Path analysis and bootstrapping were conducted in Mplus 8.8 to examine direct and indirect associations.
Results: Higher medical complexity in CSHCN was significantly associated with increased maternal stress. Significant indirect associations were observed through care coordination and family-centered care. Additionally, several sociodemographic factors were significantly associated with both healthcare experiences and maternal stress.
Conclusion: Higher medical complexity was associated with greater maternal stress, with modest indirect associations through care coordination and family-centered care. These findings suggest the potential relevance of coordinated and family-centered healthcare experiences for maternal well-being among families of CSHCN.
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BibTeX
@article{yun2026maternal,
title = {{Maternal stress in families of children with special healthcare needs: The role of healthcare experiences}},
author = {Hye-Jung Yun and Celia Tseyen Lee and Ming Cui and Cynthia B. Wilson},
journal = {Women's Health},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1177/17455057261491867},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057261491867},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Maternal stress in families of children with special healthcare needs: The role of healthcare experiences
AU - Hye-Jung Yun
AU - Celia Tseyen Lee
AU - Ming Cui
AU - Cynthia B. Wilson
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - Women's Health
DO - 10.1177/17455057261491867
UR - https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057261491867
AB - Background: Children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) often require complex, ongoing, and coordinated care. Mothers frequently serve as primary caregivers and may experience elevated stress related to managing their child’s medical needs and navigating healthcare systems. Healthcare experiences may shape how medical complexity relates to maternal stress. Objectives: This study examined maternal stress as the primary outcome in relation to children’s medical complexity and healthcare experiences, including care coordination, family-centered care, and shared decision-making, while accounting for sociodemographic characteristics. Design: This study used a cross-sectional design and secondary analysis of nationally representative survey data. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2016-2020 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), including 18,190 mothers of CSHCN. Mothers provided information on their child’s medical complexity, healthcare experiences, maternal stress, and sociodemographic characteristics, including child race/ethnicity, sex, age, family structure, number of children, federal poverty level, and community setting. Path analysis and bootstrapping were conducted in Mplus 8.8 to examine direct and indirect associations. Results: Higher medical complexity in CSHCN was significantly associated with increased maternal stress. Significant indirect associations were observed through care coordination and family-centered care. Additionally, several sociodemographic factors were significantly associated with both healthcare experiences and maternal stress. Conclusion: Higher medical complexity was associated with greater maternal stress, with modest indirect associations through care coordination and family-centered care. These findings suggest the potential relevance of coordinated and family-centered healthcare experiences for maternal well-being among families of CSHCN.
SN - 1745-5057
SN - 1745-5065
ER -