The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mother's parenting attitudes toward special children and children's handicap and the changes of mother's parenting attitudes as the special children grew old.
Study questions were as follow...
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mother's parenting attitudes toward special children and children's handicap and the changes of mother's parenting attitudes as the special children grew old.
Study questions were as follows:
First, 'Is there any difference in mother's parenting attitudes toward special children and normal children?'
Second, 'Is there any change in mother's parenting attitudes as the special children grow old?'
Study subjects were 220 mothers whose children were attending K and J schools in Suwon City, H school in I-Gu, Goyang City, D school in S-Gu, Seoul, and D Welfare Center in Seoul.
To measure mother's parenting attitudes, the investigator used Schaefer's Maternal Behavior Research Instrument (MBRI) adopted and modified by Lee Won-yeong (1983). The investigator worked out such four measuring items as affectionate attitude, rejecting attitude, autonomic attitude and controlling attitude out of Lee Won-young's such 7 measuring items as affectionate attitude, rejecting attitude, extroverted character, dependency-promoting attitude, controlling attitude, positively assessing attitude, and mother's dependency. In addition, the investigator used the questionnaires developed by Go Young-mi (1995) and Choe Yu-gyeong (1999) to measure paternal and maternal parenting attitudes.
In order to examine the difference in the score and frequency of mother's parenting attitudes toward special children and normal children, the investigator used SPSS 14.0 Program and carried out frequency analysis, ANOVA, t-test and chi-square test. In addition, to examine the changes of mother's parenting attitudes as the special children grow old, the investigator carried out one-way ANOVA.
Study findings are as follows:
First, as for the relationship between mother's parenting attitudes toward special children and children's handicap, mothers of special children have different parenting attitudes toward their special children and normal children. Their parenting attitudes toward normal children are more affectionate, less rejecting, more autonomic, and more controlling than special children.
As for the frequency of mother's parenting attitudes, most of mothers whose parenting attitudes toward special and normal children are identical show the tendency of parenting affectionately, whereas most of mothers whose parenting attitudes toward special and normal children are different show the tendency of parenting special children affectionately but normal children in a controlling manner.
Second, as for the changes of mother's parenting attitudes as the special children grow old, there is no change in mother's parenting attitudes.
In conclusion, mother's parenting attitudes toward special and normal children are different and they are more affectionate, less rejecting, more autonomic, and more controlling toward normal children than special children. In addition, there is no change in mother's parenting attitudes as the special children grow old.
The investigator suggests followings for future studies on the basis of study findings:
First, studies on mother's parenting attitudes toward special and normal children must be carried out qualitatively in order to overcome the limitation of the existing quantitative studies. In this vein, future studies must focus on the concrete and practical parenting attitudes. Second, studies on the influence of mother's parenting attitudes toward special children upon their parenting attitudes toward normal children must be carried out to support mothers in parenting their normal children. Third, an index that reflects the parenting attitudes of mothers who have special children must be developed. Finally, studies on the educational program of mothers who have both special and normal children are necessary.