Parenting and Future Anxiety: The Impact of Having a Child with Developmental Disabilities

Anna M. Bujnowska, Celestino Rodríguez, Trinidad García, Débora Areces and Nigel V. Marsh
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Anna M. Bujnowska: Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Narutowicza 12, 20-004 Lublin, Poland
Celestino Rodríguez: Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Trinidad García: Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Débora Areces: Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Nigel V. Marsh: Department of Psychology, James Cook University, 149 Sims Drive, Singapore 387380, Singapore

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: This study examined differences in future anxiety (FA) among mothers and fathers of children with and without developmental disabilities (DD), and it also analyzed differences in FA within the group of parents of children with DD taking into consideration parent-related factors and child-related factors. A group of 167 parents of children with DD were compared to a group of 103 parents of children with typical development. The group with DD included children with autism spectrum disorders, sensory disorders, and intellectual disability. Parents completed the Future Anxiety Scale-FAS1. Mothers of children with DD had a higher general level of FA than fathers of children with and without DD. Mothers of children with DD reported higher anxiety about their future health and the meaning of their future life than fathers of children with DD. For parents of children with DD, those with lower education, male children, and older children reported higher FA. The group at risk of highest general FA are mothers of children with DD, especially those without a professional career. Similarly, parents of teenagers and/or sons with DD are at increased risk of FA.

Keywords: developmental disabilities; parenting; future anxiety; families (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:4:p:668-:d:208798

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