{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T11:06:33Z","timestamp":1779188793624,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]],"date-time":"2026-03-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772841600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]],"date-time":"2026-03-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772841600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Qual Health Res"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Children with severe emotional or behavioral problems often present great challenges to parents, schools, and society because their emotional and behavioral reactions are unpredictable and extreme. When a child\u2019s reactions are highly disproportionate to the circumstances, are frequent, and occur over a long time, they may be identified as having emotional disturbance (ED). The long-term risks associated with childhood ED include school drop-out, unemployment, and prison. These potential problems are frightening and stressful for parents to prevent or deal with the fallouts. Nevertheless, little is known about parents\u2019 experiences raising a child with ED or how their child\u2019s condition impacts them. This study used naturalistic inquiry to explore mothers\u2019 experiences raising a child with ED. After institutional review board approval, eight mothers with 10 children with ED were recruited nationally through social media. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed for common themes. Mothers live in a state of high alert, trying to survive the stress and stigma created by their child\u2019s ED. Mothers journeyed through escalating concerns to eventual confirmation that their child was not just difficult but had an ED. Mothers were overwhelmed by stress, cycles of escalating tension, hypervigilance, and isolation. Spouses often felt powerless to assist with the care of their child. Sibling bonds were strained or broken due to the unpredictable nature of ED. Finally, mothers shared ideas to help other families. This study provides details about families\u2019 unmet needs and self-care deficits. Findings suggest needed changes in healthcare practice to better support families of children with ED.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/10497323261417927","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T10:25:49Z","timestamp":1773224749000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Parenting on High Alert: Stress, Stigma, and Survival in Families of Children With Emotional Disturbance"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1525-9712","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michelle L.","family":"Nighswander","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Texas State University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_7_2_1","volume-title":"For the 23th year in a row, nurses are the most-trusted profession, according to Gallop","author":"Advisory Board","year":"2025","unstructured":"Advisory Board. (2025). For the 23th year in a row, nurses are the most-trusted profession, according to Gallop. https:\/\/www.advisory.com\/daily-briefing\/2025\/01\/15\/trusted-professions"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_3_1","first-page":"1135","volume-title":"The Sage encyclopedia of educational research, measurement, and evaluation","author":"Carl N. M.","year":"2018","unstructured":"Carl N. M., Ravitch S. M. (2018). Naturalistic inquiry. In Frey B. B. (Ed.), The Sage encyclopedia of educational research, measurement, and evaluation (pp. 1135\u20131137). Sage Publications. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4135\/9781506326139"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_4_1","volume-title":"Behavioral disorders","author":"Council for Exceptional Children","year":"2020","unstructured":"Council for Exceptional Children. (2020). Behavioral disorders. https:\/\/debh.exceptionalchildren.org\/behavior-disorders-definitions-characteristics-related-information"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.742775"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1063426616649163"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732317697096"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_8_1","volume-title":"Doing naturalistic inquiry: A guide to methods","author":"Erlandson D. A.","year":"1993","unstructured":"Erlandson D. A., Harris E. L., Skipper B. L., Allen S. D. (1993). Doing naturalistic inquiry: A guide to methods. Sage Publishing."},{"key":"e_1_3_7_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10826-019-01626-y"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/nuf.12187"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7610.2005.01456.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1087054718790010"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/01612840.2010.515768"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/10497323231203627"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10802-020-00653-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17482631.2019.1690091"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_17_1","article-title":"When family members downplay a child\u2019s potential disability","author":"Liggins-Chambers L.","year":"2023","unstructured":"Liggins-Chambers L. (2023). When family members downplay a child\u2019s potential disability. Psychology Today. https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/spotlight-on-special-education\/202309\/when-family-members-downplay-a-childs-potential?fbclid=IwAR0Dv6o8K5bo_PTKNb2lgPvl1inDv42IS1rECQTZK53B-FVVZwzaG_SOrEA","journal-title":"Psychology Today"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0147-1767(85)90062-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_19_1","volume-title":"Preparing for life after high school: The characteristics and experiences of youth in special education. Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012. Volume 2: Comparisons across disability groups","author":"Lipscomb S.","year":"2017","unstructured":"Lipscomb S., Hamison J., Burghardt J., Johnson D. R., Thurlow M. (2017). Preparing for life after high school: The characteristics and experiences of youth in special education. Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012. Volume 2: Comparisons across disability groups. Full Report. NCEE 2017 - 2018. National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance."},{"key":"e_1_3_7_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13575279.2024.2308114"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0145445518762398"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1077559520988352"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12671-021-01744-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/0886571X.2010.500956"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/089431848900200308"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/10634266060140030301"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_27_1","volume-title":"A history of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act","author":"U.S. Department of Education","year":"2020","unstructured":"U.S. Department of Education. (2020). A history of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https:\/\/sites.ed.gov\/idea\/IDEA-History#1975"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10802-015-0050-7"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ps.201700145"},{"key":"e_1_3_7_30_1","volume-title":"Emotional and behavioral problems: A handbook for understanding and handling students","author":"Zionts P.","year":"2016","unstructured":"Zionts P., Zionts L., Simpson R. L. (2016). Emotional and behavioral problems: A handbook for understanding and handling students. Corwin Press."}],"container-title":["Qualitative Health Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10497323261417927","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/10497323261417927","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10497323261417927","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T10:11:28Z","timestamp":1779185488000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/10497323261417927"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]]},"references-count":29,"alternative-id":["10.1177\/10497323261417927"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/10497323261417927","relation":{},"ISSN":["1049-7323","1552-7557"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1049-7323","type":"print"},{"value":"1552-7557","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]]},"article-number":"10497323261417927"}}