Accommodative coping and well-being of midlife parents of children with mental health problems or developmental disabilities

Abstract

This study examined how accommodative coping via flexible goal adjustment affects the wellbeing of midlife parents. Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, a population-based study of midlife adults, the authors compared parents who have a child with a severe mental health problem, a child with a developmental disability, or a child with no chronic illness or disability. Overall, parents had better well-being (i.e., lower levels of depressive and physical symptoms, higher levels of environmental mastery and self-acceptance) if they used accommodative coping. This effect was stronger for parents of individuals with a severe mental health problem than for the comparison group.