For parents of children with disabilities, finding time to focus on themselves may be difficult. However, a new study finds that the right coping strategies and resilience can significantly help manage the challenges of raising children with special needs. That is the key finding from research published in the International Journal of Developmental Disabilities that studied families with neurodevelopmentally disabled children in Ghana to see what helps parents cultivate healthy, happy lives for themselves and their children.
Our main interest was looking at how psychological distress and coping with stress impact these parents, their resilience and also their quality of life or well-being. We know that it's not easy. These parents go through a lot of challenges.
" Francis Boateng, University of Mississippi associate professor of criminal justice and legal studies Despite the study being conducted overseas, the findings apply to all parents of neurodevelopmentally disabled children, Boateng said. Neurodevelopmental disabilities – which affect brain development and function – include conditions such as Tourette's syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and cerebral palsy. Regardless of the severity of the child's condition, any neurodevelopmental disability increases distress in the parent.
"Psychological distress predicted quality of life," said Mabel Oti-Boadi, senior lecturer at the University of Ghana's Department of Psychology and le.