PATTERNS OF CHOICE OF COPING STRATEGIES BY MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES: RESULTS OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY

Abstract

The article examines the patterns of choice of coping strategies by mothers of children with disabilities. By conducting an empirical study, it was found that the birth of a child with a disability by women is perceived as a tiring life test, which leads to chronic stress. The results of the study show that participants in both study groups prefer to turn to solution-oriented coping strategies. However, the mothers of one of the groups are more likely to turn to emotion-oriented strategies. It was revealed that in mothers with special children, styles/strategies aimed at reducing emotional stress prevail. In general, such women do not turn to strategies aimed at solving the problem. However, in general, the second study group also revealed a low use of strategies related to seeking help from the social environment. It was found that mothers show an ambivalent attitude towards a child with psychophysical developmental disorders: trying to take care of the child in all areas of his life, they experience irritability towards him because of his limited abilities and their unfulfilled hopes. The coping strategies used by the participants in the study are determined through the attitude of mothers towards their children, family life, and satisfaction with them. It has been established that the factors of obstacles to the use of productive coping are: excessive interference of the mother in the world of the child; feeling of “sacrifice” of mothers; lack of trusting, open relationships between parents and children; dissatisfaction with one's own life. The patterns of choice of coping behavior strategies depending on the level of optimism/pessimism, sensory-life orientations, empathic abilities of mothers raising children with disabilities and mothers with two children, of which only one has a disability, were identified. The study was conducted on the basis of the State Rehabilitation Institution Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Children with Disabilities “Dream”. To study the features of the style/strategy of coping behavior, tests-questionnaires developed by scientists were used. It has been established that knowledge of the characteristics of coping behavior of mothers raising a child with a disability, their resource capabilities can become the basis for creating psychological programs to help family members.