The birth of children with disability may be stressful experiences for family members because these children's difficulties have effects on the family unit that can be far-reaching and may cause economic, social, emotional difficulties for families of...
The birth of children with disability may be stressful experiences for family members because these children's difficulties have effects on the family unit that can be far-reaching and may cause economic, social, emotional difficulties for families of these children. However it is mostly important to provide resources to their family in order to help them overcome the difficulties and live a satisfying life.
This study examined the impact of parenting stress, family leisure, and family function on psychological well-being for parents with disabled children. The major purposes of this research study were to examine the impact of parenting stress on psychological well-being, to examine the impact of family leisure on psychological well-being, and to test role of family leisure between parenting stress and psychological well-being.
The sample of this study was drawn from several special education schools in Choong-Chung province. A total of 700 questionnaires was sent to mothers of children with disability. A participant of 134 family members of children with disability were recruited from cities in Choong-Chung province. The data were collected between September 18th 2008 to October 31th 2008. Hierarchical multiple regression and path analysis were conducted.
The summary of the results was as follows.
First, for parenting stress, mothers of children with disability had a mean score of 3.12. This score indicates a high level of parenting stress for mothers of children with disability. Family leisure score showed a mean score of 3.35, and family function score showed a mean of 2.95. Psychological well-being score showed a mean of 3.21. For family leisure, core family leisure score showed a mean score of 3.61. Home-based activities had the highest participation ratio, but religious activities had the highest satisfaction level. Balance family leisure score showed a mean score of 3.10. Participation and satisfaction level of community-based social activities were fairly high.
Secondly, the researcher analysed the impact of parenting stress, family leisure, and family function on psychological well-being for parents with disabled children by using regression analysis. The regression model indicated that parenting stress had a significant negative relationship on psychological well-being. Both family leisure and family function had a significant positive relationship on psychological well-being. Parenting stress had a significant negative relationship on family function. Family leisure had a significant positive relationship on family function. For family leisure, core family leisure had a significant positive relationship on family coherence and both core and balance family leisure had a significant positive relationship on family adaptability. Family function had a significant positive relationship on psychological well-being. This finding indicates that the higher parenting stress level occurs, the lower the psycological well-being and family function level comes. The higher the family leisure occurs, the higher psychological well-being and family function comes.
Finally, the researcher analysed effect of family leisure on both family function and psychological well-being by path analysis. The results showed that leisure not only has a direct positive affect on the psychological well-being but also has an indirect affect the family function. Although parenting stress has shown to have a negative affect on family function, the influence were less than family leisure. In summary, the findings indicated that family leisure is a consistent predictor of the psychological well-being and family function.
According to these results, these findings have provided implications as following.
First, this result will contribute the build of basic theory not only study on family leisure research but also develop new program for parents with disabled children.
Secondly, this result showed that parents with disabled children who had more opportunity to enjoy their family leisure improved not only their family function but also satisfaction of life. It is necessary that parent education to facilitate family leisure involvement as recognize effectiveness and necessity of family leisure and strength-based family leisure program to develop their family leisure culture for parents with disabled children in future.
Finally, there were many families who more participated and satisfied by core family leisure(home-based family leisure) rather than balanced family leisure(community-based family leisure). In order to family with a disabled children have a more enjoyable and satisfying life, it is important to provide a number of information, various services and political try related leisure to participate community-based family leisure rather than home-based family leisure.