My Child Is Part of Myself: Self‐Concept of Mothers Who Have Children With Special Needs

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to examine the uniqueness and social dimensions of self‐concept in mothers raising children with special needs (CSN). Background Mothers of CSN often face elevated caregiving demands, which may influence their self‐perception. However, whether their self‐concept structurally differs—specifically in its uniqueness versus its sociality—remains empirically unclear. Method Two experimental studies were conducted. Study 1 ( n = 62 mothers) employed a classical self‐reference task to assess self‐concept uniqueness. Study 2 ( n = 56 mothers) utilized a Remember/Know paradigm to examine the relational integration of their children into the self‐concept of mothers. Participants consisted of mothers of preschool‐aged children, divided into two groups: those with typically developing (TD) children and those with children diagnosed with developmental delays. Results Both groups demonstrated a strong and equivalent self‐referential effect, indicating preserved self‐concept uniqueness among mothers of CSN. Only mothers of CSN showed comparable memory enhancement for child‐related and self‐related information, reflecting a distinct integration of the child into the maternal self‐concept—a pattern not observed among mothers of TD children. Conclusion Mothers of CSN maintain an individual self‐concept while also exhibiting a relational self‐structure in which the child is cognitively incorporated as part of the self. Implications Findings contribute to self‐expansion theory and provide evidence for integrated self‐other representation in maternal identity. Results also suggest that under high caregiving demands, self‐expansion can occur without diminishing self‐distinctiveness—a pattern that may inform how maternal self‐concept is structured in similar high‐caregiving contexts.