A Profile of Childrearing Characteristics for Parents of Intellectually Handicapped Children

Abstract

This paper describes the attitudes of parents towards daily interaction with their intellectually handicapped children. Parents attitudes were assessed using the Parent As A Teacher Inventory (PAAT). Total and subset mean scores were calculated and were within the range of means reported for various ethnic groups of parents with normal children in the United States. A comparison of the attitudes of parents with Down's Syndrome children and parents with children classified as Brain Damaged indicated a more positive open attitude on the part of parents with Down's Syndrome children. Parent profiles based on each of the subsets – Creativity, Frustration, Control, Play and Teaching-Learning – are presented and these indicate the particular difficulties that parents face, their positive as well as negative attitudes, and the extent to which these attitudes are based on inappropriate expectations.