From isolation to collaboration: Parent peer support groups among rural mothers of children with hearing loss

Abstract Objective This study examined how parent peer support groups form and function among rural mothers of children aged 0–3 years with hearing loss in China, highlighting how these grassroots caregiving communities emerge and sustain themselves amid limited formal support. Background Rural Chinese families of children with hearing loss often face parenting stress and service gaps due to urban–rural dual structure. Lacking formal support, mothers frequently establish self‐organized parent peer support groups as adaptive systems to navigate caregiving challenges and mitigate social isolation. Method Guided by grounded theory, in‐depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 rural mothers who had migrated to Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, for their children's rehabilitation. Data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding using NVivo 12, with theoretical saturation confirmed through additional interviews. Results Parent peer support groups progressed through three stages—tentative exploration, mutual support, and familial companionship. Four caregiving domains emerged: daily assistance, emotional empowerment, social reconnection, and child rehabilitation cooperation. Five influencing factors—parental, child, family, institutional, and social—jointly shaped group development. These self‐organized networks filled service gaps, reduced stress, and improved family resilience and children's outcomes. Conclusion Parent peer support groups represent a culturally grounded, self‐organizing caregiving model that transforms isolation into empowerment. The findings extend community and self‐organization theories by showing how trust, shared goals, and emotional reciprocity foster collaborative caregiving in resource‐limited rural contexts.