ATTITUDES OF THE PARENTS WITH DIFFERENT STATUS (PARENT/GUARDIAN) REGARDING THE COMPETENCES OF THE ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY TO INDEPENDENT LIVING

Abstract

Family is the most important educator and teacher to the child, and it represents an environment where all of the most important interpersonal experiences of the child take place. The overall development of the child’s personality, child’s behavior, child’s adoption of the different systems of values and personal attitudes, depend largely on the parents. However, the community, as well, should be equally prepared to be able to provide all the necessary conditions for uninterrupted development, education, employment and other needs a child might have. One of the latest trends in the protection of the people with moderate and severe intellectual disability is the process of independent living with the support of the community. The term “independent living” is often used when it comes to people with intellectual disability. This term- independent living- implies that people can make choices and make decisions regarding where and who they are going to live with, and how they are going to organize their everyday life. The goal of this program is independent life for the people with intellectual disability while having full support for independent living in accordance to their needs, wishes and possibilities. This program is a preparation for the independent living through active participation in actual living situations. The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of the parents with different status (parent/guardian) regarding the competences of the adults with intellectual disability to having an independent life, which eventually will contribute to their better integration into the community. The quantitative data acquired from this research were analyzed by using arithmetic mean. The data variability was measured with the use of the variability-standard deviation. The differences among the groups were determined by using the t-test of statistical significance and ANOVA, and the connection of the variables was determined by using the Pierce coefficient of correlation. As an aiding mean the qualitative technique-interview, was used, in order to get more valid and more reliable results with the help of the multimethod triangulation. According to the needs of the research 168 parents of adults with moderate and severe intellectual disability, whose children were accepted in the Daily Centers in the Republic of North Macedonia, were interviewed. The results acquired led up to different associations, raised a lot of new questions, and often suggested a lot of solutions. The subjects of this research offered a lot of suggestions, most of which were well formulated, convincingly explained and justified.