Understanding parental stress of physically challenged: An overview

Pages: 770-773
Rinu Chaturvedi and Sandhya Ojha (Department of Psychology, Sri Agrasen kanya Autonomous P.G. College, Varanasi, U.P.)
Rahul Kumar Tiwari (IMS, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP.)

The physically challenged children are frequently characterized by extremes of behaviors, which in some cases influence the interactions they have with parents and siblings. The extra care and special accommodations are required by them. Parenting is the job with no preparations and vacations. Children with disabilities have special needs that require more attention, greater vigilance and effort from parents than nondisabled children. Though the presence of a physically challenged child need not create a family crisis, the stigma of disability imposed by the society can be offending to the parents and the family. Disability in a child provokes a series of disequilibrium among the parents in their psychological aspects which directly or indirectly affect them in various social and psychological well beings. Parents show a series of reactions after knowing that their child is disabled and they start showing the guilt, sorrow, denial, anger, which affects different parents differently, so that these sort of stressors leads the parents to physical and mental health problem. There is abundant evidence that parents of disabled children undergo more than average amount of stress. Parents of disabled children have very high level of parenting stress signifying that they perceived for more stress in their role as parents than did parents of children without disabilities. The nature of stress has been shown to span over several aspects of family life such as daily care demands, emotional distress, interpersonal difficulties, financial problems and adverse social consequences. Psychosocial issues of parents and children with disabilities can be very traumatic for most parents. The parents of the child with disability need to be stronger, adaptive, and optimistic and have a huge sense of humour. They have to be “special” for the special child. The special counselling and guidance is required for the parents suffering with physical and mental health problem. The extreme problem of the parents should be consulted with Psychologist to overcome their problems. This paper will be helpful in understanding parental stress of physically challenged.