Delineating Sources of Stress in Parents of Exceptional Children

Abstract

This study compares the levels of perceived stress on several dimensions of parenting in mothers and fathers of conduct disorder, autistic, Down syndrome, and normal children. Results showed that mothers and fathers report very similar levels of stress when parenting exceptional children, although their patterns of stress change as a function of the child's difficulties. Parents of conduct disorder children are most stressed, closely followed by parents of autistic children, while parents of Down syndrome children closely resemble and, in some respects, appear less stressed than parents of normal children. These results, and their implications for research and intervention, are briefly discussed.