Psychological Distress Experienced by Parents of Special Child in Hyderabad City-A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Parents of children with intellectual disabilities are constantly under stress due to the challenging nature of raising them.Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the psychological stress faced by the parents of special children. Methods:This was a cross-sectional study that was carried out in the various schools for special children in and around the city of Hyderabad in March 2023.Abedin's Parenting Stress Index (short form) was used, and the questionnaires were distributed among 265 parents and carers of special children.Using the collected data, descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis were done.Results: When categorized under mild, moderate, and high-stress level groups, 90 parents out of 265 were in the low-stress, 87 under moderate stress, and 88 under the high-stress level group.A significant correlation was observed between stress among parents of special children the education status of the parent (P < 0.05) and the duration of disease since diagnosis in the child (P < 0.05). Conclusion:The study concluded that the majority of the parents are in psychological distress.