COMPARING OF GENERAL HEALTH, LIFE EXPECTANCY AND HAPPINESS OF MOTHERS OF MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN WITH MOTHERS OF NORMAL CHILDREN

Abstract

Because the pressure of having a disabled child, parents are forced to withdraw from normal social contacts. Parents, especially mothers are withdrawn due to the increase in social exclusion and isolation; parents tend to permanent focus too much on children's activities. The increased attention to children's disabilities brings psychological disturbances and reduces the life expectancy of mothers. This study compared general health, happiness and hope to the lives of mothers of normal children with mothers of mental retard children. The present study was using causal-comparative methods. Participants in the study mothers of mental retard and normal school students in Sari province were selected. 200 mothers (100 mental retard students mothers and 100 of normal students’ mothers) were selected through cloning method. Miller hopes questionnaire, questionnaire with 28 questions GHO, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire were used as research tools for statistical analysis of data, descriptive statistics (such as frequency tables, charts, etc.) and inferential statistics, independent t-test to compare two groups were used. The results showed that between hope, health and happiness of mothers of mental retard and normal students the difference was significant. The results showed that students' disabilities have negative effects on their mothers' public health, hope, and happiness.  Article visualizations