Abstract
Study I
The research was conducted to investigate the amount of difference in stress reported by the mothers of the intellectually challenged children and the mothers of physically handicapped children. It was hypothesized that the mothers of intellectually challenged children will report more stress as compared to the mothers of the physically handicapped children. The sample of physically handicapped children's group consisted of 22 mothers. In this sample 86% were house wives and 13% were working ladies with average age of 27 years. The sample of intellectually challenged group consisted of mothers of intellectually challenged children who suffered moderate to severe mental disability. In this sample 77% were house wives and 22% were working ladies with average age of 28 years. From each group mothers were initially interviewed and later on had to complete the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress (QRS) by Holroyd & Guthrie (1974). The t-test was calculated for the statistical analysis and the results obtained were found to be significant at P< 0.05, stating that mental handicap contributed more towards family stress.
Study II
The second research was a follow up of study-I and was conducted to investigate the amount of difference in stress and depression reported by both the parents of the intellectually challenged children and the parents of intellectually challenged children with physical handicap. It was hypothesized that the parents of intellectually challenged children with physical handicap will report more stress as compared to the parents of the intellectually challenged children. A sample of 25 parents of intellectually challenged children and 24 parents of intellectually challenged children with physical handicap were selected through purposive sampling technique from the various Special Schools in Karachi. The age range of parents was from 22 years to 55 years. The cutoff point for minimum qualification was taken at grade 8. The participants belonged to lower and upper middle socioeconomic backgrounds. Parents of both the groups were initially interviewed and later asked to complete the self-administered Parental Stress Scale (Berry & Jones, 1995) and the Depression Screening Test (Goldberg, 2006). For statistical analysis of date the t-test and correlations were utilized and the results obtained were found to be significant at P < 0.05, signifying that mental disability with physical handicap was found to contribute more towards family stress.