The effect of families’ alexithymic status and social skill levels on directing their children with intellectual disabilities to sports

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the social skill levels of families who have children with mild intellectual disabilities and the effect of alexithymic status on their orientation to sports. The study group consisted of 194 families who have children with mild intellectual disabilities. Personal Information Form, Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Social Problem Solving Inventory-Short Form (SPSI-R/SF) were used as data collection tools. The families’ alexithymic status and social problem solving skills were moderate. There was a relationship between alexithymia levels of families and positive orientation to the problem (r = 0.147; p < 0.01) and avoidance of problem solving sub-dimension and directing their children to sports (r = 0.145; p < 0.01). The total alexithymia levels and their sub-dimensions of the families whose children were engaged in sports were significantly higher than the children who did not do sports (p < 0.05). In conclusion; families’ alexithymic status and social skill levels may affect their children’s orientation to sports. As the alexithymia levels of the families increase, their children’s orientation to sports shows a moderate increase.

Keywords:

• alexithymia
• social skills
• intellectual disabilities
• sports