Barriers to accessing mental health treatment for parents of children with intellectual disabilities: a preliminary study

Abstract

Purpose: Parents of children with intellectual disability often experience heightened levels of psychological distress compared to parents of typically developing children due to increased parenting demands. Given these demands, parents may also have difficulty accessing mental health treatment for themselves. This research investigated whether parents of children with intellectual disability experience barriers in accessing mental health treatment for themselves related to the increased parenting demands of having a child with an intellectual disability.

Materials and methods: 80 parents of children with intellectual disability were surveyed about barriers to accessing mental health treatment for themselves and interest in an e-treatment.

Results: Parents who experienced mental health difficulties were more likely to experience barriers in accessing treatment. For parents who had experienced mental health difficulties, cost, arranging childcare, and availability of providers were significant barriers to accessing treatment. Older participants were less likely to report cost as a barrier. Participants with higher incomes were less likely to report work scheduling as a barrier. Participants reported interest in an e-treatment, with younger participants more likely to express interest.

Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that parents of children with intellectual disability experience barriers to accessing treatment. Research directions include developing e-treatments for these carers.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Having a child with an intellectual disability is associated with increased parenting demands, and significant stress for parents

• The results of this survey suggest that for parents who are experiencing mental health difficulties, cost, arranging childcare and availability of providers may act as barriers to accessing treatment for their own mental health concerns

• Rehabilitation professionals can assist parents in addressing these barriers and encourage parents to seek treatment for themselves by offering flexibility in appointment times, reduced cost services and options for childcare

• Accessible and affordable treatment options, such as e-treatments may further assist these parents in accessing care for themselves

Keywords:

• Intellectual disability
• parents
• mental health
• barriers
• treatment
• e-treatment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.