Doświadczanie stresu i odnajdywanie pozytywnych aspektów rodzicielstwa w kontekście wychowywania dziecka z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną

Abstract

Parenthood is a complex, responsible and difficult life task. In the case of being a parent of child with intellectual disability it is a much more burdening experience. The aim of the article is to present lights and shadows which accompany parents when they fulfill their parental tasks. Attention has been focused especially on challenges and difficulties in the process of adaptation to parental role as well as on factors which conduce to development of parental satisfaction despite difficulties and threats. The article consists of three parts. The first part concerns chosen causes of parental stress (shadows connected with parenting), such as: difficulties with acceptance of diagnosis of child’s disability, necessity of caretaker’s increased effort, anxiety attitude towards future, difficulties in obtaining satisfying institutional care as well as negative social experiences of families rearing a child with intellectual disability (i. a. social isolation, concerns about rejection of a child among its peers, concerns about intentional and unintentional child injuries). The second part of the article focuses on search for factors which allow to find positive aspects of parenthood. The following factors have been analyzed: factors which help parents to build their sense of parental identity (i. a. satisfaction from the relationship with the spouse, detecting bright sides of their own parental situation, bond with a child, personality traits) and the importance of social support for the parents’ psychological well-being. We made an assumptionthat helping parents to overcome stress by supporting their personal and family resources as well as their formal and informal resources, reinforces not only parents, but above all protects children and gives them a chance for a better development. In the third part of the article chosen psychoeducational programmes adressed to parents of children with intellectual disability as well as trainings enhancing their parental skills have been presented.