Relationship between Social Support and Some Aspects of Parenting in Families with Children with Disabilities

Cilj rada bio je dobiti uvid u socijalnu podršku i neke aspekte roditeljstva djece s teškoćama u razvoju u Dubrovačko-neretvanskoj županiji. U istraživanju su sudjelovali roditelji djece s teškoćama u razvoju koji žive u Dubrovačko-neretvanskoj županiji, a okupljaju se u 17 udruga koje djeluju u području davanja podrške i savjeta roditeljima djece s teškoćama u razvoju. U istraživanju je sudjelovao 161 roditelj od čega 94 žene (58%) i 67 (42%) muškaraca. Podaci su prikupljeni za ukupno 102 djece s teškoćama u razvoju. Za prikupljanje podataka korišteni su standardizirani upitnici Utjecaj djeteta na obitelj i Socijalna podrška obitelji. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na postojanje povezanosti između dimenzije emocionalne podrške i roditeljske procjene utjecaja djeteta na obitelj s jedne strane i na nepostojanje povezanosti između aspekata utjecaja djeteta na obitelj i zadovoljstva socijalnom podrškom. Također je ovo istraživanje u skladu s dosadašnjim istraživanjima pokazalo najvažniju podršku članova obitelji, a osobito je najviše djelotvorna supružnička podrška i roditelji su s njom izrazito zadovoljni. Nakon nje slijedi podrška drugih članova obitelji, prijatelja i rodbine i tek na kraju institucionalna podrška koja je malo prisutna i roditelji su s njom nezadovoljni.The aim of this paper was to gain insight into the social support and some aspects of parenting children with disabilities in the Dubrovnik–Neretva County. The participants of the study were parents of children with disabilities who live in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and gather in 17 organizations which operate in the field of providing support and advice to parents of children with disabilities. The study included 161 parents, out of which 94 were women (58 %) and 67 (42%) were men. Altogether, the data were collected for 102 children with disabilities. For data collection, standardized questionnaires Impact of a Child on the Family and Family Social Support were used. Study results indicate the existence of the relationship between the dimension of emotional support and parental assessment of the child’s influence on the family on one side, and the non-existence of the relationship between aspects of child’s influence on the family and satisfaction with social support. Additionally, this study, in accordance with previous studies, showed that the most important support is provided by family members, and, especially, the most effective is spousal support and the parents are very satisfied with it. It is followed by support of other family members, friends and relatives and, finally, institutional support which is insufficiently present and the parents are dissatisfied with it