Objective: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) suffer from several problems, so the family especially the mothers undertake a lot of social and emotional difficulties. The purpose of this study was to determine the severity of anxiety in mothers of children with CP and its relation to the type of CP and severity of the disability.

Materials & Methods: During this descriptive-analytic study, 43 mothers who had 6 months -8 year-old children with CP under rehabilitation services in SABA clinic, related to the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences (USWR), in Tehran, Iran, were selected as the case group by simple sampling. Informed consent was acquired from the mothers. Next a data registration form and the Cattell Test were completed by them. This test indicates the existence of anxiety as well as its rate. The type of CP and the severity of disability were determined by a pediatrician and an occupational therapist respectively, using the GMFM. Seventy-seven mothers of normal children, serving as the control group, filled in the same questionnaires. The data was analyzed using t-test, X2 for non-parametric variables, and Pearson& Spearman correlation tests.

Results: There were no significant differences in the mean anxiety scores (P=0.663) between the two groups, but there was significant differences in anxiety scores among the five types of CP (P=0.023). There were no statistically significant differences in anxiety scores and the severity of disability (R=0.386) and economic status of the family, age of mothers, gender of children, number of family members, birth type, consanguinity of parents, education level of mothers.

Conclusion: In respect of results and limitations of this research, it seems further researches are necessary.