Maternal rumination and well-being in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Links to children's function and balance.

BACKGROUND

Rumination includes maladaptive forms, such as brooding, and potentially adaptive forms, such as positive rumination. Families navigating the chronic physical decline and lifelong rehabilitation needs of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) may be susceptible to such thought patterns. We examined associations between maternal rumination, maternal well-being, and children's motor function and balance.

METHODS

Forty-one children with DMD (6-17 years) and their mothers (24-43 years) participated. A consecutive convenience sampling strategy was used. Maternal rumination was measured with the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS)-short form and the Positive and Negative Rumination Scale (PNRS); well-being with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale-short form. Child function and balance were assessed using the Motor Function Measure-32 and Pediatric Functional Reach Test.

RESULTS

Spearman correlations showed that maternal well-being was negatively associated with RRSsf Brooding and Total Rumination scores and positively associated with the PNRS Positive Rumination total score (p < 0.05). The PNRS Enjoy Happiness subscale was positively associated with children's motor function and balance (p < 0.05). A greater number of siblings with disabilities was associated with higher scores on the PNRS Negative Attribution subscale (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These cross-sectional findings indicate a dual pattern of associations between maternal cognitive strategies and study outcomes in DMD: maladaptive brooding was associated with lower maternal well-being and was more pronounced with longer caregiving duration, whereas positive rumination was associated with better mental well-being and with higher child motor function.

IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: Given the correlational design, these associations underscore the potential value of integrating caregiver psychosocial screening into long-term rehabilitation models.