Page No.53-59
Upadhyaya, G.R. and Havalappanavar, N.B.
Karnataka Institute of Mental Health, Karnatak University,
Dharwad, Karnataka State. Dharwad, Karnataka State,
Fathers and mothers of 628 mentally challenged individuals are assessed for
their perceived stress using Family Interview for Stress and Coping in Mental
Retardation (FISC-MR). Socio demographic data pertaining to the mentally
challenged individuals and their parents are collected. To assess behaviour
disorder, BASIC-MR, Part B is used. Results show that mothers report higher
stress compared to fathers, the difference being significant at 0.001 level. Most
of the parents report mild to moderate stress and none of them report very high
stress. In the areas of care, emotional and social stress, mothers report higher
stress and in the area of financial stress, both fathers and mothers report equal
levels of stress. It is noticed that more than one mentally challenged children in
the family; higher levels of behaviour disorder; lower age of the mentally challenged
individual and parents; and lower income of the family are associated with higher
stress.