Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore maternal responses to the diagnosis of learning disabilities in children using a focus group approach. The findings identified four central themes: differences between antenatal and postnatal diagnosis, whereby the former presented a dilemma in relation to the option of termination; reactions from the participants being comparable to a recognized cycle of bereavement; issues relating to causation; and examples of poor interpersonal skills from the medical services. Overall, analysis demonstrated that maternal responses appear to be a complex set of intertwined emotional and cognitive behaviours. External influences were predominantly negative or pessimistic, often manifesting within a moral and ethical framework of making a decision on the prospective genetic worth of a human being.
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