Effect of Child Factors on Parental Attitude Toward Children and Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy in Iran

Amiri, Alireza; Kalantari, Minoo; Rezaee, Mehdi; Akbarzadeh Baghban, Alireza; Gharebashloo, Farzad

doi:10.32598/irj.17.4.319

Volume 17, Issue 4 (December 2019) Iranian Rehabilitation Journal 2019, 17(4): 319-330 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.32598/irj.17.4.319

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Amiri A, Kalantari M, Rezaee M, Akbarzadeh Baghban A, Gharebashloo F. Effect of Child Factors on Parental Attitude Toward Children and Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy in Iran. Iranian Rehabilitation Journal 2019; 17 (4) :319-330
URL: http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-968-en.html

Effect of Child Factors on Parental Attitude Toward Children and Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy in Iran

Alireza Amiri¹

, Minoo Kalantari ^*

², Mehdi Rezaee²

, Alireza Akbarzadeh Baghban¹

, Farzad Gharebashloo¹

1- Physiotherapy Research Center, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract: (3913 Views)

Objectives: To determine the role of child factors in the prediction of parental attitudes toward children and adolescents with CP in Iran.
Methods: The cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 152 children and adolescents with CP aged 7-17 years (Mean±SD = 10.93±3.46) with a mother aged at least 25 years were selected, using a systematic random sampling method. The Mother-Child Relationship Evaluation questionnaire was used to assess the parental attitude. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine the predictive role of child factors (eg, age, gender, type of CP, dependency in gross and fine motor functions, and IQ) in parental attitudes.
Results: Overindulgence and overprotection attitudes were the most common attitudes among mothers. The acceptance attitude was best predicted by the type of CP (r2=0.151). Diplegia, being fully dependent in gross motor functions, and adolescence predicted greater overprotection attitude (r2=0.101). Girls were predicted to be treated more overindulgent (r2=0.045). Femininity predicted lesser rejection attitude while being fully dependent in fine motor functions predicted greater rejection attitude (r2=0.006).
Discussion: Child factors influence only a small proportion of parental attitudes toward children and adolescents with CP. Contrary to expectation, child factors, including the child’s disability status, are not the most prominent determinants of the parental attitudes toward children and adolescents with CP in Iran.

Keywords: Child, Adolescent, Cerebral Palsy, Attitude, Child Rearing

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● Most of the mothers of children and adolescents with Cerebral Palsy (CP) have overindulgence or overprotection attitudes toward their child.
● Contrary to expectations, only a small proportion of parental attitude toward children and adolescents with CP is influenced by child factors.
● Among the child factors, the most prominent predictor of lesser acceptance is spastic quadriplegia.

Plain Language Summary
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a disorder of movement and posture caused by damage to the developing brain. Parenting of children and adolescents with CP is often challenging and a burden to the family. Consequently, parents of these children may develop negative attitudes toward them and negative attitudes can cause a variety of psychosocial problems for the child, adolescent, or the family. Previous studies had shown that parental attitude toward children and adolescents with CP is influenced by a variety of factors such as the child’s age, sex, the severity of the disability, and birth order. But, could these factors influence parental attitudes in an Iranian context too? It was expected that the majority of the negative parental attitude toward children and adolescents with CP would be caused by child factors, and most importantly the child’s disability. However, no studies had already investigated that how much of the parental attitude is influenced by child factors. It was found in this study that the most common parental attitudes toward children and adolescents with CP are overindulgence and overprotection, but contrary to expectations, child factors influence only a small proportion of the parental attitude. In other words, the majority of the attitudes that parents of children and adolescents with CP have toward their child is caused by determinants other than child factors. In conclusion, there are two main implications for this study: (i) considering the importance of parental attitudes in the psychosocial development of the child, there is a need for interventions, other than common rehabilitation services, to promote parental acceptance. (ii) Further research needs to be conducted to specify the most prominent determinant of the parental attitude toward children and adolescents with CP.

Article type: Original Research Articles | Subject: methodology in rehabilitation
Received: 2018/11/28 | Accepted: 2019/07/3 | Published: 2019/12/29

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