Features of stress and basic beliefs of parents of children with normative development and with disabilities

The article presents the results of the study of stress level of parents of children with typical development and with disabilities (mental retardation, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, visual and hearing impairment). The specificity of the expression of attitudes towards intensive parenting, basic personal and parental beliefs is analyzed. The study involved 190 respondents: 125 parents of children with normal development and 65 parents of children with disabilities. A high level of parental stress was identified among parents of children with disabilities. The data obtained allow us to say that there are such features of parental stress as an increased experience of loss of control over one’s life as a result of the birth of a child with disabilities, increased demands for development and upbringing, lack of pleasure, a reduction in the positive emotions that the fulfillment of the parental role brings, a decrease satisfaction with oneself as a parent. Specific personal attitudes toward the experience of traumatic parenting have also been identified. Adults raising children with disabilities are dissatisfied with themselves, do not approve of their actions, and tend to consider themselves less successful than parents of children with normal development.