Behavior disorders and mental retardation: the family system perspective
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M Margalit1, S Shulman, N Stuchiner
1School of Education, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Insights
Parental stress in families with mentally retarded children is influenced by the child's behavior and family environment. Understanding these factors can help support parents facing these challenges.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Child Development
- Family Studies
Background:
- Parental stress is a significant concern for families raising children with intellectual disabilities.
- Behavioral disorders in children can exacerbate parental stress and impact family dynamics.
- Understanding the interplay between child pathology, family environment, and parental stress is crucial for effective support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parental stress levels in families with moderately mentally retarded children.
- To examine the relationship between children's behavioral disorders, family climate, and parental stress.
- To identify specific variables predicting parental stress for both mothers and fathers.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 39 families with moderately mentally retarded children.
- Children were divided into two groups: those with disruptive behavior (n=17) and those without (n=22).
- Utilized validated instruments including the Child Behavior Checklist, Family Environment Scale, and Questionnaire on Resources and Stress.
Main Results:
- Children with disruptive behavior exhibited higher levels of hyperactivity, aggression, distractibility, and dependency.
- No significant differences in family climate were found between the two groups.
- Child pathology and family climate aspects significantly predicted parental stress, with distinct patterns for fathers and mothers.
Conclusions:
- Parental stress is associated with both the child's pathology and family environment characteristics.
- Specific child behaviors and family dynamics differentially impact maternal and paternal stress.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complex interrelations between child pathology, family climate, and parental stress.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate feelings of stress among parents of mentally retarded children who demonstrate behavior disorders. The interrelations of the children's pathology and family climate variables with the levels of parental stress were studied. The sample consisted of 39 families with moderately mentally retarded children divided into two groups: Children demonstrating disruptive behavior (n = 17), and children who did not demonstrate behavior disorders (n = 22). The instruments included the Child Behavior Checklist, the Classroom Behavior Inventory, the Family Environment Scale, and the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress. Significant differences between the children's levels of pathology validated the two groups' division. The children with disruptive behavior were described by their parents as more hyperactive and aggressive, and were described by their teachers as more distractable and dependent on adults. No significant differences were found between the profiles of family climate among the two groups of parents. However, levels of children's pathology and aspects of family climate predicted the parental stress, pinpointing different patterns of variables for fathers and mothers. Further studies should be addressed to the interrelations between children's pathology, family climate, and parental feelings of stress.