Supporting South African Parents of Children with Learning Difficulties: Psychological Strategies and Resources

Abstract

Learners in South Africa experience barriers to learning, including but not limited to dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. A school psychologist or educational psychologist usually diagnoses these learning difficulties if the child is at a public school, and the parents can afford to pay for the assessment if the child is at an independent school. These children may struggle to read, write, and spell in English, yet most learning support is in English. Parents of children with these learning difficulties may experience various challenges. The article utilized A narrative literature review, an extensive consolidation, and integration of existing research on a specific issue, providing an overview of significant discoveries and their interconnectedness. Therefore, the researcher has employed a narrative literature review to find and analyze the data. Findings revealed that a child’s learning difficulties can significantly affect their parents, often giving rise to increased levels of stress and anxiety, as well as reduced confidence in their capacity to support their children’s learning. However, a supportive community, which can include family, friends, and other parents of children with learning difficulties, can protect against risk factors and enhance the resilience of these parents. This support can come from emotional support, practical help, or sharing of experiences. Furthermore, psychoeducation of parents about different psychological difficulties, including their causes, symptoms, and suggested courses of treatment, has been found to reduce symptoms of depression in these parents.