Factors associated with the anxiety score of deaf and hearing mothers.

PURPOSE: To associate maternal anxiety with sociodemographic factors, breastfeeding practices, oral habits, and the child's entry into daycare among deaf and hearing (non-deaf) mothers.

METHODS

This retrospective comparative cross-sectional study included 116 mothers (29 deaf and 87 hearing) of children aged between two and five years. Deaf mothers belonged to a reference center in the city, while hearing mothers were contacted in public daycares where their children were enrolled. Mothers underwent interviews covering socio-economic factors and child development-related aspects. Additionally, they completed the Brazilian Beck Anxiety Inventory, adapted for both deaf and hearing individuals, serving as instruments to assess anxiety. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, Kruskal Wallis test, Mann-Whitney test, and Poisson Regression were employed for statistical analyses (p<0.05).

RESULTS

Deaf mothers exhibited anxiety scores one and a half times higher than hearing mothers. Moreover, mothers of children with thumb-sucking habits showed higher anxiety scores, while mothers whose children started attending daycare as infants demonstrated lower anxiety scores compared to mothers of children without such habits and who did not attend daycare.

CONCLUSION

Deaf mothers displayed higher anxiety levels when compared to hearing mothers. Children's behaviors, such as thumb-sucking habits, and early enrollment in daycare during the first year of life influenced maternal anxiety.