An Evaluation of Anxiety in Parents with Disabled Children and their Coping Strategies

Objective: This research was conducted to determine the anxiety levels and coping strategies of the parents who have handicapped children. Methods: Study population included the of parents of 1163 handicapped children who were from 15 rehabilitation centers in a city of, which are working in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education. Of all 405 parents who included in the study and who had handicapped children were reached. Constant State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Coping Strategies Scale and an information form used for the data collection. Study variables were presented as means and percentages. Data was analyzed with the use of chi-square test, student’s t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results: Mothers constitutes 78.5 % and fathers 21.5% of the study population. The parents mean age 38.0± 9.1 years. It was found that 42.2% of the handicapped children was in 7-14 year age-group, 55.3% of the handicapped children was boy and 57 % was in mentally handicapped category. Conclusions: According to these results a statistically important difference was identified between the age , marital status, economic condition, education of the parents who have handicapped children, the age of the handicapped child and anxiety level. A relation was identified between handicapped children’s parents status of being acknowledge by the neighbourhood, receiving psychiatric support, the status of sharing distress and anxiety levels. According to the results of the present work the level of the coping with distress was higher in the parents having handicapped child, who receive psychological and social support.