Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T19:13:46.083Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Discrepancy and Loss in Parenting: A comparative study of mothers and fathers of children with and without intellectual disability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Elizabeth J. Bruce ,
Cynthia L. Schultz ,
Kosmas X. Smyrnios  and
Noel C. Schultz
Elizabeth J. Bruce
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural Health Sciences, La Trobe University
Cynthia L. Schultz*
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural Health Sciences, Lincoln School of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083
Kosmas X. Smyrnios
Affiliation:
David Syme Faculty of Business, Monash University
Noel C. Schultz
Affiliation:
High-fields Centre, Ivanhoe, Victoria
*
Department of Behavioural Health Sciences, Lincoln School of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An assumption commonly found in the literature on parents of children with disabilities is that discrepancies between their perceptions of their children and their ‘ideal’ children are greater than those of parents whose children are nondisabled. Another assumption relates to their parenting experiences, which have been regarded as being different to that reported by parents of children without disabilities. Given that there is little empirical evidence to support these assumptions, a comparison of 58 mother-father dyads of children with intellectual disabilities and 24 mother-father dyads of children who did not have disabilities was undertaken. The findings of the present study revealed that parents of children with disabilities (a) perceived significantly greater discrepancies between their children and their ideal children, (b) perceived significantly greater limitations on their family, (c) reported significantly more worries concerning their children's development, (d) reported significantly more frequent disappointment in relation to their children's development, and (e) reported significantly greater impairment in emotional and physical well-being. In contrast, there were no significant differences in levels of reported happiness in parenting their children during the previous year. Furthermore, there were nonsignificant differences in the perceptions held by mothers and fathers. The findings have relevance to both counselling and service provision.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , 1993 , pp. 18 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baptiste, D.A. (1987) ‘Family therapy with Spanish heritage immigrant families in cultural transition.’ Contemporary Family Therapy, 9, 229–251.Google Scholar
Baum, M.H. (1962) ‘Some dynamic factors affecting family adjustment to the handicapped child.’ Exceptional Children, April, 387–392.Google Scholar
Benedek, T. (1959) ‘Parenthood as a develop mental phase: A contribution to the libido theory.’ Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 7, 389–416.Google Scholar
Berry, J.O. & Zimmerman, W.W. (1983) ‘The stage model revisited.’ Rehabilitation Literature, 44, 275–277.Google Scholar
Birenbaum, A. (1970) ‘On managing a courtesy stigma.’ Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 11, 196–206.Google Scholar
Birenbaum, A. (1971) ‘The mentally retarded child in the home and the family cycle.’ Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 12, 55–65.Google Scholar
Bristol, M.M., Gallagher, J.J. & Schopler, E. (1988) ‘Mothers and fathers of young developmentally disabled and nondisabled boys: Adaptation and spousal support’ Developmental Psychology, 24, 441–451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bristor, M.W. (1984) ‘The birth of a handicapped child- A wholistic model for grieving.’ Family Relations, 33, 25–32.Google Scholar
Bruce, E.J. & Schultz, C.L. (1992) ‘Complicated Loss: Considerations in counselling the parents of a child with an intellectual disability.’ The Australian Counselling Psychologist, 8, 8–18.Google Scholar
Carter, E.A. & McGoldrick, M. (1980) ‘The family life cycle and family therapy: An overview.’ in Carter, E.A. & McGoldrick, M. (Eds.), The family life cycle: A framework for family therapy. New York: Gardner Press.Google Scholar
Cummings, S.T. (1976) ‘The impact of the child's deficiency on the father A study of fathers of mentally retarded and of chronically ill children.’ American Jnl of Orthopsychiatry, 46, 246–255.Google Scholar
Cummings, S.T., Bayley, H.C. & Rie, H.E. (1966) ‘Effects of the child's deficiency on the mother: A study of mothers of mentally retarded, chronically ill and neurotic children.’ American Jnl of Orthopsychiatry, 36, 595–608.Google Scholar
Darling, R.B. (1979) Families against society. A study of reactions to children with birth defects. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications Inc.Google Scholar
Darling, R.B. (1983) ‘The birth defective child and the crisis of parenthood: Redefining the situation.’ in Callahan, E.J. & McCluskey, K.A. (Eds.), Life-span developmental psychology: Nonnormative life events. N.Y.: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Ellis, J.B. (1989) ‘Grieving the loss of the perfect child: Parents of children with handicaps.’ Child and Adolescent Social Work, 6, 259–270.Google Scholar
Fajardo, B. (1987) ‘Parenting a damaged child: Mourning, regression and disappointment.’ Psychoanalytic Review, 74, 19–43.Google Scholar
Farber, B. (1960) ‘Perceptions of crises and related variables in the impact of a retarded child on the mother.’ Journal of Health and Human Behaviour, 1, 108–116.Google Scholar
Farran, D.C., Metzger, J., & Sparling, J. (1986) ‘Immediate and continuing adaptations in parents of handicapped children.’ in Gallagher, J.J. & Vietze, P.M. (Eds.), Families of handicapped persons. Research, programs and policy issues (pp. 143–163). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Featherstone, H. (1980) ‘A Difference in the Family’- Life with a Disabled Child. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Friedrich, W.N. & Friedrich, W.L. (1981) ‘Psychosocial assets of parents of handicapped and non-handicapped children.’ American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 85, 551–553.Google Scholar
Freidrieh, W.N., Greenberg, M.T. & Crnic, K. (1983) ‘A short form of the questionnaire on resources and stress.’ American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 88, 41–48.Google Scholar
Friedrich, W.N., Wilturner, L.T. & Cohen, D.S. (1985) ‘Coping resources and parenting mentally retarded children.’ American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 90, 130–139.Google Scholar
Gath, A. (1977) ‘The impact of an abnormal child upon the parents.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 405–410.Google Scholar
Gath, A., & Gumley, D. (1984) ‘Down's syndrome and the family: Follow up of children first seen in infancy.’ Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 26, 500–508.Google Scholar
Goldberg, D.P. & Hillier, V.F. (1979) ‘A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire.’ Psychological Medicine, 9, 139–145.Google Scholar
Goldberg, D. & Williams, P. (1988) A user's guide to the General Health Questionnaire. Berkshire, London: Nfer-Nelson Publishing Co.Google Scholar
Goldberg, S., Marcovitch, S., MacGregor, D. & Lojkasek, M. (1986) ‘Family responses to developmentally delayed preschoolers: Etiology and the father's role.’ American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 90, 610–617.Google Scholar
Gumz, E.J. & Gubrium, J.F. (1972) ‘Comparative parental perceptions of a mentally retarded child.’ American Jnl of Mental Deficiency, 77, 175–180 Google Scholar
Harris, S.L., Gill, M.J. & Alessandri, M. (1983) ‘The family with an autistic child.’ in Seligman, M. (Ed.), The family with a handicapped child 2nd ed. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.Google Scholar
Hoffman, L.W. & Manis, J.D. (1978) ‘Influences of children on marital interaction and parental satisfactions and dissatisfactions, in Lerner, R.M., & Spanier, G.B. (Eds.). Child influences on marital and family interaction: A life-span perspective. N.Y.: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Howard, J. (1978) ‘The influence of children's developmental dysfunctions on marital quality and family interaction.’ in Lerner, R.M. & Spanier, G. B. (Eds.), Child influences on marital and family interaction. A life-span perspective, 275–298. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Huyck, M.H. (1989) ‘Midlife parental imperatives.’ in Kalish, R.A. (Ed.), Midlife loss: Coping strategies. Newbury Park: Sage.Google Scholar
Ikeler, B. (1990) ‘Stresses in families with disabled children.’ The Journal of Pastoral Care, XLIV, 234–243.Google Scholar
Kazak, A.E. & Marvin, R.S. (1984) ‘Differences, difficulties and adaptation: Stress and social networks in families with a handicapped child.’ Family Relations, 33, 67–77.Google Scholar
Lax, R.F. (1972) ‘Some aspects of the interaction between mother and impaired child: Mother's narcissistic trauma.’ International Journal of Psycho-analysis, 53, 339–344.Google Scholar
Leon, I.G. (1990) When a baby dies. New York: Yale University.Google Scholar
Meadow, K.P. & Meadow, L. (1971) ‘Changing role perceptions for parents of handicapped children.’ Exceptional children, 38, 21–27.Google Scholar
Michaels, J. & Scuchman, H. (1962) ‘Observations of the psychodynamics of parents of retarded children.’ American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 66, 568–573.Google Scholar
Olshansky, S. (1962) ‘Chronic sorrow: A response to having a mentally defective child.’ Social Casework, 43, 190–193.Google Scholar
Olshansky, S. (1966) ‘Parent responses to a mentally defective child.’ Mental Retardation, 4, 21–23.Google Scholar
Parks, R.M. (1977) ‘Parental reactions to the birth of a handicapped child.’ Health and Social Work, 2, 52–66.Google Scholar
Romans-Clarkson, S.E. et al, (1986) ‘Impact of a handicapped child on mental health of parents.’ British Medical Jnl, 293, 1395–1397.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Opirhory, G. & Peters, G.A. (1982) ‘Counselling interventions and strategies for families with less than perfect newborn.’ Personnel and Guidance Journal, 60, 451–455.Google Scholar
Roos, P. (1963) ‘Psychological counselling with parents of retarded children.’ Mental Retardation, 1, 345–350.Google Scholar
Shabad, P.C. (1989) ‘Vicissitudes of psychic loss of a physically present parent.’ in Dietrich, D.R. & Shabad, P.C. (Eds.), The problem of loss and mourning. Psychoanalytic perspectives. Conn.: International Universities Pr. Google Scholar
Solnit, A.J. & Stark, M.S. (1961) ‘Mourning and the birth of a defective child.’ Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 16, 523–537.Google Scholar
Stokes, B.M. (1976) ‘Helping parents to accept’ Child Care Health and Development, 1,29–33.Google Scholar
Swarc, B. (1990) Love, sweat and tears. Melbourne: The Victorian Children's Aid Society.Google Scholar
Tennant, C. (1977) ‘The General Health Questionnaire: a valid index of psychological impairment in Australian populations’, Medical Journal of Australia, 2, 392–394.Google Scholar
Tew, B.J., Payne, H. & Laurence, K.M. (1974) ‘Must a family with a handicapped child be a handicapped family.’ Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 4 (16) 95–98.Google Scholar
Tomko, B. (1983) ‘Mourning the dissolution of the dream.’ Social Work, 28, 391–392.Google Scholar
Vines, D. (1986) ‘Regrieving in parents of disabled adolescents.’ Dissertation Abstracts International, 46 (12).Google Scholar
Wikler, L.M. (1981) ‘Chronic stresses of families of mentally retarded children.’ Family Relations, 30, 281–288.Google Scholar
Wikler, L.M. (1986) ‘Periodic stresses of families of older mentally retarded children: An exploratory study.’ American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 90, 703–706.Google Scholar
Wikler, L., Wasow, M. & Hatfield, E. (1981) ‘Chronic sorrow revisited: Parents vs. professional depiction of the adjustment of parents of mentally retarded children.’ American Jnl of Orthopsychiatry, 51, 63–70.Google Scholar
Wilton, K. & Renaut, J. (1986) ‘Stress levels in families with intellectually handicapped preschool children and families with non-handicapped preschool children.’ Journal of Mental Deficiency Research, 30, 163–169.Google Scholar
Wishart, M.C., Bidder, R.T. & Gray, O.P. (1981) ‘Parents' report of family life with a developmentally delayed child.’ Child Care, Health and Development, 7, 267–279.Google Scholar
Worchel, T. & Worchel, P. (1961) ‘The parental concept of the mentally retarded child.’ American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 64, 139–147.Google Scholar
Worthington, R.C. (1989) ‘The chronically ill child and recurring family grief.’ The Journal of Family Practice, 29, 397–400.Google Scholar
Wright, L.S., Matlock, K.S. & Matlock, D.T. (1985) ‘Parents of handicapped children: Their self ratings, life satisfaction and parental adequacy.’ The Exceptional Child, 32, 37–40.Google Scholar