The severity of intellectual disability and its relationship to psychological stress among a sample of parents of intellectually disabled individuals in Libya

Abstract

The current study aimed to uncover the correlational relationship between the severity of intellectual disability and psychological stress among a sample of parents of intellectually disabled children in the Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar region of Libya. It also aimed to monitor differences in stress levels according to the parents' gender (fathers, mothers). The study was applied to a purposive stratified sample consisting of (40) parents (20 fathers and 20 mothers), selected from centers for individuals with special needs in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar. Their ages ranged from (30 to 40) years, with a mean age of (34.80) and a standard deviation of (2.48). To achieve the research objectives, the researcher adopted the descriptive correlational comparative approach, using research tools that included a demographic data form, official medical and diagnostic reports to determine the severity of the disability (mild, moderate, severe), and the Parental Psychological Stress Scale (adapted for the Libyan environment) with its four dimensions (psychological and physical exhaustion, anxiety about the future, financial burden, and social stress). The statistical results revealed that the study sample suffered from a high overall level of psychological stress, with an overall mean score of (75.65), and the financial and economic burden dimension topped the stress indicators at a rate of (90.8%). The results also revealed a strong and statistically significant positive correlational relationship between the severity of the child's intellectual disability and the parents' level of psychological stress, where Pearson's correlation coefficient reached (0.74). Additionally, there were statistically significant differences in the level of psychological stress attributable to the parents' gender variable in favor of mothers, with a mean score of (81.15) compared to (70.15) for fathers.