Open AccessIntellectual disability and mothers' stressors: A Greek Paradigm
Author(s) -
Konstantinos I. Bougioukas,
Μαρία Τζουριάδου,
Γεώργιος Μενεξές,
Μαρία Γκέκα,
Λητώ Ελένη Μιχαλοπούλου
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
psychologia: to periodiko tīs ellīnikīs psychologikīs etaireias/psychologia. to periodiko tīs ellīnikīs psychologikīs etaireias
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2732-6640
pISSN - 1106-5737
DOI - 10.12681/psy_hps.23510
Subject(s) - stressor , intellectual disability , psychology , general partnership , empowerment , developmental psychology , sample (material) , stress (linguistics) , perception , clinical psychology , psychiatry , linguistics , chemistry , philosophy , chromatography , political science , law , finance , neuroscience , economics
Ongoing research has demonstrated higher levels of stress for parents of children with intellectual disabilities than in parents of typically developed children. Three major source domains of parental stress include comorbid conditions, parental characteristics and parents’ life situations. The aim of this study was the investigation of Greek mothers’perceptions of the characteristics of their intellectually disabled children and their life situations as stressors. The research was carried out in Rhodes, Greece. The study sample consisted of fifty-nine mothers ofchildren diagnosed with moderate intellectual disabilities with and without comorbid conditions. Interviews were used to collect the data. Main findings were that stress varies among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities and that children comorbid conditions appear to be the most important maternal stress factor. Family support should be based on the partnership-empowerment model. Further research on family needs of children with intellectual disabilities is needed in Greece, so that children find partnership and support throughout their lives.