Question

When interacting with the mother of a child who has duchenne muscular dystrophy, the nurse observes behavior indicating that the mother may feel guilty about her child's condition. the nurse interprets this behavior as guilt stemming from which factor?

Answer 1

The mother may feel guilty about her child's condition because she may think that the child had that disease genetically from one or both of his or her parents. The mother may exhibit signs of self-blaming because she feels like it is her fault that her child is suffering from the disease. The healthcare practitioner should approach the mother in a biopsychosocial approach wherein the mother is allowed to vent out (catharsis), then the healthcare practitioner should make things clearer (educate), and then have the appropriate action given.