Original Research Article_Parental Attitudes towards Children with Intellectual Disability in Special Schools of South India.

Abstract

Background: Parental attitude is one of the key prognostic factors in psychosocial development of a child. In this cross-sectional study conducted in the special schools among parents, we explored the dimensions of parental attitudes towards children with intellectual disability and the factors that influence these attitudes. Methodology: Data was collected using Rangaswamy Parental Attitude Scale. This scale consists of 40 items spread equally into 8 domains (over protection, acceptance, rejection, permissiveness, communication, attitudes towards education, home management and hostility). Results: The study revealed that parents have an overall positive attitude towards their children with intellectual disability. However, mean score of the subscale domains indicates parental negative attitudes which is highest on over protection and lowest on rejection. Conclusions: Further studies in this regard are needed across multiple centres to validate the findings of the above study.