A Study of Psychosocial Profile of Mentally Handicapped Children and Psychopathology in their Parents

Aim: To study the socio-demographic profile of mentally handicapped children and to compare the Psychiatric morbidity in parents of mentally handicapped children with that of parents of non handicapped children. Materials and Methods: The sample under study consisted of 50 children of both sexes 30 of these were mentally handicapped children & 20 children were non handicapped. IQ was assessed using Coloured Progressive matrices and Goddard form board. SCID I was used to assess Psychopathology of parents. Results: The prevalence of consanguinity, pregnancy complications, co-morbidity (speech and seizure disorder) and psychopathology in mothers was high in mentally handicapped children as compared to non handicapped children.

disabled people is not their specific disability so much as the attitudes of general public towards them.
Children make large demands on society in terms of money and professional shifts the emotional problems of parents are no less daunting. In these conditions, the exact course & time of deterioration may be unpredictable. Either ways parents have to cope with a treat deal of uncertainties about their child's health and future.
A common belief in this regards is that the presence of a disabled child has a negative effect on his family. This is one of the most common reasons cited to parents while recommending institutionalization for their child. This strongly indicates the negative attitude and avoidance of parents and society towards such children.
Hence, a study exploring this complex disability was taken up to understand the impact of child disability on Parents.

Aim
To study the socio-demographic profile of mentally handicapped children and to compare the Psychiatric morbidity in parents of mentally handicapped children with that of parents of non handicapped children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The sample under study consisted of 50 children of both sexes 30 of these were mentally handicapped children & 20 children were non handicapped.

Mentally handicapped
30 mentally handicapped children of the same group of 8-12 years attending a special school for the mentally retarded were selected. Children with accompanying physical handicapped were excluded from the study.
Non handicapped 20 non handicapped children matched on socio-demographic variables were selected from the relatives accompanying patients to various OPDs in general hospital.
A Semi unstructured Performa was prepared and administered. Observations included: -Personal data, details about illness -severity of the handicap, co morbidity present, possible biological causes as mother's age at child birth, pregnancy complications, etc.

Instruments Used
1. Intelligence Quotient in the subjects was assessed using the Colored Progressive matrices and the Goddard Form board. 2. SCID I was used to assess the psychopathology of parents.    On studying the prevalence of consanguinity in these groups, 15 (50%) of mentally retarded children & 6 (30%) of control were born of consanguineous marriage. No significant different was found in the prevalence of consanguinity amongst the 2 groups. 3 (15%) 20 (100%) 23 (66.66%) of mentally retarded and 17 (85%) of non-handicapped children were born when mothers age was less than 30 yrs. whereas 7 (23.33%) of mentally retarded & 3 (15%) of nonhandicapped were born when now these age was more than 30 yrs. Amongst the mentally retarded children 1 each only had prenatal or postnatal, 7 had natal, and 6 had more than 1 type of birth complications. In non-handicapped children, all 3 had natal complications.

Socidemographic Profile
The incidence of pregnancy complication was significantly more in mentally retarded as compared to non-handicapped. Amongst the mentally retarded children, 17 had speech defect, 1 had seizure disorder while 3 had both. On comparison of incidence of psychopathology in fathers, none of the group significantly differed. 3 (15%) 17 (85%) 20 (100%) On comparison, psychopathology of mothers of mentally handicapped children was significantly high as compared to mothers of non handicapped children.

Psychoathology in Parents
Amongst mothers of mentally handicapped children, 12 had dysthymia, 5 had anxiety & 1 had depression. Amongst the non handicapped group, 2 had anxiety and 1 had depression.