Padres y discapacidadconcepciones y afrontamientos

Laburpena

Fairly little is known about Ecuadorian families with preschoolers who have intellectual disabilities (ID). So, our main objective is to compare individual variables of coping and stress control of Ecuadorian parents of preschoolers with and without intellectual disabilities together with family variables (family cohesion, adaptability and satisfaction) and family and extra-family supports. Participants were 120 parents of preschoolers with ID and 295 parents of preschoolers without disabilities. We used a Questionnaire called “Cuestionario para la Entrevista”, the questionnaire of Social Perception about people with Down Syndrome, the “Family Satisfaction Scale”, the “FACES II. Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale”, and the “Coping Responses Inventory”. Results showed that there were no significant differences in agreements between parents of children with and without intellectual disabilities but in economic expenses about health and education. Parents of children with ID agreed about economic expenses less than parents of children without ID did. There were not significant differences between parents whose children either have or not ID in any family variable (family cohesion, adaptability and satisfaction). Parents of children with ID perceived less stress, exhibited more stress control and used more problem-focused coping strategies compared to parents whose children did not have ID.