A study to assess the degree of depression among parents of mentally challenged children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20215055Keywords:
Assess, Depression, Parents, Mentally challenged children, Jammu and KashmirAbstract
Background: Raising a mentally challenged child is a challenging and exhausting task. Families can easily become overwhelmed by the process of finding and funding appropriate services. They are faced with the stress of continually witnessing their loved one's struggles to complete everyday tasks, social interactions and education. They must live with the knowledge that there is no end to these struggles.
Methods: The study was descriptive study to assess the degree of depression. 200 parents of mentally challenged children in different special educational institutions of Jammu and Kashmir were chosen by convenient sampling method and data was collected with the help of questionnaire (modified becks depression inventory II).
Results: Findings of the study revealed that majority 9 (4.5%) were normal ,63(31.5%) had mild depression, 92 (46%) parents had moderate depression and 36 (18%) of parents had severe depression. Significant association was found between relationship with child (p<0.005), religion (p<0.001), education (p<0.001), occupation (p<0.00), monthly family income (p<0.000) and the degree of depression among parents of mentally challenged children.
Conclusions: This study revealed that majority of the parents of mentally challenged children were having moderate depression.
References
World Health Organization. Fact sheet: World suicide prevention day, 2012. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_suicide_prevention_day/en/. Accessed on 1 November 2021.
World Health Organization. Fact sheet: The Global Burden of Disease 2004 Update. Available at: http://www.who.int/healthinfo/globalburden_disease/GBD_repot_2004update_ful. Accessed on 1 November 2021.
Stuart GW. Textbook of psychiatric Nursing-Principles and Practices. 8th ed. New Delhi: ELBS Publishers; 2007: 244-60.
Bumin G. Anxiety, depression and quality of life in Parents of disabled children. SDI J Med. 2008;6:122-32.
Kessler RC, Berglund P, Demler O, Jin R, Koretz D, Merikangas KR, et al. The epidemiology of major depressive disorder: results from the National Co Morbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). J Am Med Assoc. 2003;289(23):3095-105.
Vyas JN. Text book of postgraduate psychiatry. 2nd ed. New Delhi: Japee publication; 1999: 232-54.
Muzmail J. Education disabled children in Jammu and Kashmir. South Asian J Human Rights. 2008;4:177-200.
Beck AT, Steer RA, Brown GK. Manual for the Becks Depression Inventory-II. San Antonio: Psychological Corporation; 1996.
Dorathi M, Santhini P. Anxiety and depression level of working women having mentally retarded children and knowledge assessment on the quality time spent with mentally retarded children-a case study. Acta Scientif Neurol. 2019;2(6):2-5.
Zhou W, Liu D, Xiong X, Xu H. Emotional problems in mothers of autistic children and their correlation with socioeconomic status and the children’s core symptoms. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(32):16794.
Ergun S, Ertem G. Difficulties of parents living with mentally disabled children. J Pak Med Assoc. 2012;62(8):342-38.
Azeem MW, Dogar IA, Shah S, Cheema MA, Asmat A, Akbar M, et al. Anxiety and depression among parents of children with intellectual disability in Pakistan. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013;22(4):290-302.