Mothers of Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities: The “Meaning” of Severity Level

Abstract

In recent years, Positive Psychology has been shedding new light on the field of research examining the parenting of a child with disabilities. This study aims to provide a bridge between the “traditional” approach which focuses on the parents’ difficulties and pathologies, and the breaking-through PP (Positive Psychology) approach which recognizes the points of strength and the positive ways of coping. The present study compared the sense of burden and the sense of personal growth among 106 mothers of adolescents with intellectual disabilities of varying severity. No differences were found between the two groups concerning the sense of burden, but among mothers of adolescents with severe intellectual disabilities, the sense of growth was higher. No differences were found in terms of the mother’s age, income level, the number of children in the family, and the age of the child. The theme of “Meaning” offers possible explanations for these findings.