Enhancement of Coping Patterns for Parents of Mentally Retarded Children

Abstract

All parents wish for a healthy baby, but some parents not by their choice are gifted with mentally retarded child. Some are able to cope up with such a situation and some experience psychological stress. Parenting a mentally retarded child is not an easy task. Parents having a mentally retarded child experience a variety of ‘psychological stresses related to the child’s disability’. Parents especially mothers need every help and encouragement possible in their difficult task, which is indeed easier for them while the child is still a baby. An anxious love on the part of the mother may do much to exacerbate the defective’s disability. The birth of a retarded child at home is likely to be one of the most traumatic events experienced in a family. Parents and other children in the family must undergo a variety of changes to adapt to the presence of a disabled member. Therefore, this study aimed at training the parents of mentally retarded children on developing effective coping skills with psychosocial and environmental factors through educating the parents to change the way they think about their child's disability and to learn new ways to cope with the situations and circumstances that lead to ineffective coping.

Aim of the Study: This study aims at enhancing the coping patterns of parents of mentally retarded children. This aim was achieved through: 1. Assessing the coping patterns and the Attitudes of parents of mentally retarded children. 2. Developing psychiatric nursing interventions for the enhancement of the coping patterns regarding the identified needs of the parents of mentally retarded children. 3. Implementing the developed psychiatric nursing interventions for enhancing the coping patterns of parents of mentally retarded children. 4. Evaluating the effect of the implemented enhancement program for the coping patterns of the parents of mentally retarded children. Hypothesis: Psychiatric nursing enhancement program for the coping patterns of the parents of mentally retarded children has a positive effect through empowering them by adaptation skills against psychological problems.