Nepovjerenje, spremnost i nelagoda roditelja djece s teškoćama u razvoju prilikom traženja socijalno-stručne pomoći

Abstract

https://doi.org/10.21860/j.10.1.4

The main goal of this study was to examine to what extent are parents of children with developmental difficulties ready to seek social and professional support. The first specific aim of research was to determine the ways in which the beliefs (distrustfulness, readiness and discomfort in seeking of social and professional help) of parents of children with developmental difficulties in future seeking social and professional help are related to the parents’ estimated frequency of previously obtained social and professional support and parents’ estimated frequency of satisfaction with previously social and professional support, along with some socio-demographic characteristics (a place of the residence and child’s age). The beliefs of parents of children with developmental difficulties in seeking professional support, parents’ estimated frequency of obtained professional support, and parents’ estimated frequency of satisfaction with professional support are provided by 102 parents of children with developmental difficulties living in rural and urban areas of Rijeka and Vinkovci towns. A total of 73 (71.6 %) mothers (Mage = 40.14) and 29 (28.4 %) fathers (Mage = 41.52) of children up to 15 years of age participated in the study. The estimated frequency of social and professional support obtained and the estimated frequency of satisfaction with previously social and professional support are negatively associated with greater distrustfulness in seeking social and professional support. As children were older, parents were less ready to seek professional support and more distrustful while seeking professional assistance. By comparing the parents in Vinkovci and Rijeka, as well as by comparing the parents living in the city, and the parents who live in the village, it was found that parents living in Vinkovci as well as parents living in the village show a major discomfort in seeking social and professional support. The authors hope that the results can help in future researches and in improving the systematic provision of professional help and support to families of children with developmental difficulties. They believe that this work is important in improving the quality of social and professional support and helping families of children with developmental difficulties because it points to a theoretically interpreted low parental assessment of the frequency and quality of the received professional support.