Extent and Determinants of Parenting Stress in Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability, Specific Learning Disability, and Slow Learners

Studies pertaining to parental stress and parental psychopathology in parents of children with Intellectual Disability and Developmental Disabilities. However, information involving the effect of disability on the parents of children with Specific Learning Disability and Slow Learners is very sparse. The current study was undertaken to understand the extent and determinants of parenting stress in parents of children with Intellectual Disability (ID), Specific Learning Disability (SLD) and Slow Learners (SL). Parents of 24 children with mild Intellectual Disability, 23 children with SLD, and 10 SL were studied. They were evaluated using ‘PSI-4 SF’ in relation to total parenting stress, parental distress, parent-child dysfunctional interaction and difficult child in comparison with the child’s adaptive behavior and other child and parent variables. The data was analyzed using One-Way ANOVA, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, Product Moment Correlation, and t-Test. Results indicate that total parenting stress, parental distress, and parent-child dysfunctional interaction was significantly higher in the group of parents of children with Intellectual Disability as compared to parents of children with SLD and Slow Learners. Correlation between total parenting stress and adaptive behavior was observed when all the three conditions were taken as a single group.