[The effect of a child abuse prevention program for parents with disabled children]

This study describes the ecological variables effect on child abuse potential and the results from a prevention program for parents with disabled children aiming at decreasing child abuse potential.

Data was collected from 30 parents with disabled preschoolers attending an early education center in a community. The program consisted of handouts, small group lectures, support group meetings on understanding the disabled child-parents relationship, communication skill improvement, non-punitive discipline techniques, and influences of child abuse. A non equivalent pre-post test design was employed.

Ecological variables, and parenting self-efficacy, had a significant effect on child abuse potential in parents with a disabled child. By regression parenting self-efficacy showed (27.1%) child abuse potential. Both parenting self-efficacy and beliefs in corporal punishment directly related to (52.0%) child abuse potential in parents. The program was effective in bringing some positive changes on parenting self-efficacy beliefs in corporal punishment, and child abuse potential toward disabled children. However, marital discord was not significantly effected.

Child abuse prevention programs should decrease the child abuse potential in parents. Thus I recommend a child abuse prevention program development; for parents with disabled adolescents, and teachers in disabled child education.