Proactivity and its Relationship with Social Support for Parents of Mentally Handicapped Children

Abstract

The study aims at knowing the relationship between proactivity and social support  for mentally handicapped children parents as well as the differences between proactivity and social support according to the the gender of the child and his disability.The sample of the study consists of (40) parents divided into (14) fathers and (26) mothers of mentally handicapped children (males and females) whose degree of handicap ranges from mild , moderate to severe. The researcher used a scale for proactivity and a scale for social support , both are prepared by the researcher himself.

The study has the following conclusions:

-High level of proactivity for the members of the study sample.

-The level of the social support for the study sample members is above average. The most supportive sources were the family, then friends, then society. The members of the sample showed a high level of acceptance for the social support.

-There is a statistical significant  positive correlation between proactivity and social support.

-There are no statistical significant differences in the level of proactivity according to the child gender variable and his/her handicap degree.

-There are no statistical significant differences in the level of social support according to the child gender variable and his/her handicap degree.