Literature Review on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible ...

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intellectual disability had relatively poor support networks but those who
showed higher levels of satisfaction with their social support networks
had both lower stress levels and more positive maternal behaviours in
interactions <strong>Literature</strong> with their <strong>Review</strong> children. on Provision of Appropriate and Accessible
Support to People with an Intellectual Disability who are
Experiencing Crisis Pregnancy
The findings highlighted the potentially crucial role of perceived
competency-enhancing supports in promoting positive parenting
practices in parents with intellectual disabilities. Feldman et al. (2002)
observed that the parents’ perception of supports was more important
than the actual amount of support provided in shielding them from the
negative effects of stress. The authors observed that having a large
support network does not necessarily mean that the parent considers
all these people and organizations helpful. They note that competency
and self-esteem may be enhanced by some support approaches (such
as empowerment and positive reinforcement for improvements) and
inhibited by others (such as control and criticism) (Tucker & Johnson,
1989; Feldman 2002a). The authors also suggest that other factors
besides the parents’ disability status are likely to affect parenting abilities
and these variables should be considered when assessing the parental
competence of these parents (Feldman 1998, 2002a). Limitations of the
study included inability to confirm the level of disability of mothers; the
fact that the instruments used for measuring parental stress, social
support and parent-child interactions had not been standardised for use
with people with intellectual disability; and small sample size.
Stenfert Kroese, Hussein, Clifford and Ahmed (2002), in a similar study in
the UK, interviewed a small group of mothers with intellectual disability
to explore their psychological well-being and social networks. They
confirmed the small size of people’s networks, a reliance on family
contacts (70 per cent of contacts were family members) and the fact
that not all the social contacts (including partners) were experienced
as helpful. The authors reported that there were strong positive
relationships between mothers with intellectual disability’s psychological
well-being and the size and helpfulness of their social network.
These studies suggest that one way of improving the outcome for parents
with intellectual disability would be to help them build positive social
networks.