Resilience, coping, and posttraumatic growth in fathers of children with intellectual disabilities: Stress as moderator

Objective We sought to examine the correlation between resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in fathers of children with intellectual disabilities (ID), exploring the mediating effect of coping. We also tested whether this mediation effect is moderated by sense of stress. Background Raising a child with ID has been associated with both negative and positive aspects of psychological functioning. Little is known, however, about determinants of positive changes in fathers. Method The data for this study come from 106 Polish fathers of children with ID who completed a set of questionnaires measuring PTG, resilience, coping strategies, and sense of stress. The relations between variables using moderated mediation were tested. Results PTG correlates positively with resilience. Coping strategies (i.e., seeking emotional support and religion) are mediators of this relationship, and sense of stress is a moderator of this mediation. Higher levels of sense of stress increase the mediating role of these coping strategies, which translates into higher PTG in fathers with higher resilience. Conclusion The relationship between resilience and PTG is complex, mediated by coping strategies, and differs in fathers with high and low stress. Implications Knowledge on the importance of resilience and coping strategies for experiencing positive changes may be used by professionals working with fathers raising children with ID.