Social-emotional problems of children with mild intellectual disabilities having parents with mental health concerns: A quantitative comparison study.

Abstract

Children of parents with mental health concerns are at-risk for social-emotional problems. In this study, we assessed whether children with a mild intellectual disability and parents with mental health concerns are particularly at-risk. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) reports of children with a mild intellectual disability (N = 55) and their parents with mental health concerns (N = 45) were compared to two comparison groups. The first group included children with average intelligence (N = 13) and their parents with mental health concerns (N = 56), the second group included children with mild intellectual disability (N = 44) and their parents (N = 36). Children with a mild intellectual disability and a parent with mental health concerns show higher total SDQ problem scores and more internalizing and externalizing problems as compared to children in the two other groups. Children having mild intellectual disability and parents with mental health concerns are particularly at risk for developing social-emotional problems.