Assessment of Daily Parenting Stress and Depressive Symptoms among Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability
Abstract
There is a scarcity of available studies in India on parental stress and depression among parents of children with intellectual disability. Present hospital based cross sectional analytical type of observational study was carried with the specific aims to assess and compare daily parenting stress and depressive symptoms among parents of children with various degree of intellectual disability. Total 90 randomly selected subjects ({both parents of mentally retarded (MR) children and normal children} were evaluated separately for daily parenting stress and depressive symptoms using the Family Interview for Stress and Coping and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. According to Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of children, three groups were created: Group 'A' (30 parents of moderate to profound MR children), group 'B' (30 parents of mild to borderline MR children) and group 'C' (30 parents of children normal intelligence).IQ of the children was assessed by trained clinical psychologist and diagnosis was made as per ICD-10 criteria. Controls were taken from healthy volunteer and screened by two psychiatrists. A self designed, pre-tested & semi-structured detailed Performa was used for socio-demographical and clinical profile. The data were analyzed using SPSS trial version. Parents in group 'A' had significantly higher level of daily parenting stress and depressive symptoms than groups 'B' and 'C', group 'B' parents had higher level of daily parenting stress and depressive symptoms than group 'C'. Mothers experienced greater depressive symptoms and daily parenting stress compared to fathers. A positive correlation was found between daily parenting stress and depressive symptoms and negative correlation was found between IQ of the children and the daily parenting stress and depressive symptoms.
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Introduction
Intellectual Disability (ID), also known as mental retardation (MR), is characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning (intelligence), and in adaptive behavior including conceptual, social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18.1 Intellectual disability is a disabling condition. It is generally considered that 2% of the Indian population constitutes persons with intellectually disabled. In India, prevalence of intellectually disabled varies from 0.22 to 32.7 per thousand populations. 2-3 Mentally challenged child in a family is usually a serious stress factor for the parents. The magnitude of mental retardation (MR) is highest in developing countries primarily due to environmental, nutritional, disease burden and poverty.4 Heller et al (1997) 5 found that parents, especially mothers, experienced significantly greater stress as compared to parents of children with normal intelligence and reported that mothers spent more time in providing daily care, more types of support for MR child and perceived more care-giving burden. Family is the main source of support for the persons with intellectual disabilities in any society and who are closest and care for these children bear the brunt of their disability.
Conclusion
This study showed that parents of intellectually disabled children experienced more daily parenting stress and depression than parents of children with normal intelligence. More the stress, more is chances of depression. Lower IQ of the child, higher is stress and depression in parents. This stress and depression was more in mothers than fathers. Mothers experienced greater stress as compared to fathers due to greater involvement in care giving of the intellectually disabled child and spending more time with their mentally challenged children.
Hence, this study concluded that parents of intellectually disabled children require extra support in giving care to their special children, as they appear to be a population more prone to experiencing depression and stress which will hinder proper care of the intellectually disabled child, leading to a vicious circle. This circle has to be broken for the better upbringing of these special children.