Parents' attitudes towards their children with cerebral palsy

A negative attitude towards disability from family not only impacts upon a child directly, but also adds to the existing stress levels of a family. It can be concluded the parental attitudes are assumed to be associated with the psychosocial development of children. The aim of this study was to assess parents' attitudes towards their children with cerebral palsy (CP), and to examine the relationship between parental attitudes, emotional and behavioural problems, and other factors related to a child with CP and their parents. Parents of 70 children with CP (aged 6-13 years) completed questionnaires assessing parental attitudes and the Social and Emotional Behavioural Problematic scale. The results indicated that most parents had moderate attitudes towards their children with CP, although 40.7% of parents held negative attitudes. The results also revealed that there were statistically significant moderate negative correlations between parental attitudes, internalising behavioural problems and child order, and significant moderate positive correlations between parental attitudes, level of education, and type of school. Regression analysis revealed that internalising behaviour problems, aggression, child order, level of disability, parental income, and type of school contributed significantly to the variation in the prediction of parental attitudes towards their children with CP. Based on the findings, appropriate recommendations are suggested.