Tommie Forslund

Background Parental mentalising difficulties are robustly linked to caregiving problems. Mothers with intellectual disability are at risk for caregiving problems, but knowledge on their parental mentalising abilities is lacking. The present study aimed to fill this gap. Method Thirty mothers with mild intellectual disability, and 61 comparison mothers with ADHD, were assessed for parental mentalising using the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire. Contributions of intellectual disability, maternal exposure to childhood abuse/neglect and psychosocial risk to parental mentalising were examined through hierarchical regression analysis. Results Mothers with intellectual disability had a heightened risk for parental mentalising difficulties, in the form of elevated prementalising. Intellectual disability and cumulative childhood abuse/neglect uniquely predicted prementalising among the mothers, whereas cumulative psychosocial risk added to the risk for prementalising specifically among mothers with intellectual disability. Conclusions Our findings support contextual models of caregiving, and suggest a need for mentalisation‐based support for parents with mild intellectual disability.

Background Parents with intellectual disability are vulnerable to parenting stress and overwhelming life events. The COVID‐19 pandemic constitutes a potentially overwhelming event, but there is little knowledge concerning the effects on parents' caregiving. The present study aimed to fill this gap. Method Semi‐structured interviews with 10 Swedish parents with intellectual disability were analysed using thematic analysis. Results One broad caregiving‐related theme: increased caregiving demands and reduced resources for coping resulting in strained parent–child interactions and relationships. Four subthemes highlighted influential factors: pandemic information, professional support, social relationships and informal support, and children's school activities. Strained parent–child interactions were particularly common in the absence of adapted pandemic information, if professional and informal support were compromised, and if the parents had dealt with school‐related changes. Conclusions Findings support contextual models of caregiving and a stress‐resources perspective, and emphasise the importance of adapted information and support to parents with intellectual disability during crises.