THE IMPACT OF HAVING A STUNTING CHILD ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF MOTHERS IN SOOKO VILLAGE, MOJOKERTO

Abstract

Stunting in toddlers is a chronic nutritional problem that not only affects the child, but also the psychological condition of the mother as the primary caregiver. The emotional burden borne by the mother due to stunted children can trigger stress, anxiety, and reduce self-efficacy in parenting. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of children's stunting status on the psychological condition of mothers, including stress, anxiety, and self-efficacy. This study used a quantitative approach with a descriptive correlational design. The sample consisted of 100 mothers who had stunted children aged 0–5 years in the working area of the Sooko Health Center, Mojokerto Regency, selected through a simple random sampling technique. The instruments used included the DASS-21 questionnaire and the Parental Self-Efficacy Scale. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation with the help of SPSS 26. The results showed that the majority of mothers experienced moderate levels of stress and anxiety, and had low parenting self-efficacy. There was a significant relationship between children's stunting status and the mother's psychological condition (p <0.05). Having stunted children has an impact on increasing maternal psychological stress. Handling of stunting should be accompanied by psychosocial interventions to support maternal mental health.