The effectiveness of counseling program in reducing psy-chosocial stress among mothers of children with speech delays: A qualitative study

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This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral counseling program based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in reducing psychosocial stress among a purposive sample of 15 mothers of children with speech delays in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The study adopted a qualitative approach and used individual in-depth interviews as the research instrument. The data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the participants’ lived experiences and understand the meanings they attributed to their experiences. The study also aimed to identify indicators of psychosocial stress among the mothers, their significance, and how the mothers described them, as well as to investigate the effectiveness of the counseling program in reducing their stress levels. The findings revealed several indicators of psychosocial stress, including feelings of sadness and self-blame, maternal sacrifice and self-neglect, guilt towards other children, social isolation, lack of social support, and family problems. The study also concluded that the cognitive-behavioral counseling program based on ACT was effective in reducing psychosocial stress among mothers of children with speech delays. Furthermore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was effective in helping mothers cope with the challenges associated with raising a child with speech delays by enhancing their psychological resilience and ability to confront rather than avoid these pressures, accept their current reality, and move towards commitment to their values.