<b>Stress in Parents of Children and Adolescents with Down Syndrome</b>

Abstract

Resumo: Estudo com objetivo de avaliar a presença de níveis de estresse geral e parental em pais de crianças e adolescentes com síndrome de Down. Trata-se de um estudo transversal e analítico, realizado em cinco Instituições que atendem pessoas com deficiência em Goiânia, Goiás. A amostra foi composta por 40 pais. Instrumentos de avaliação do estresse: Inventário de Sintomas de Estresse para Adultos de Lipp (ISSL), Parenting Stress Index Short Form (PSI/SF). Quanto à avaliação do estresse geral, por meio do ISSL: a maioria dos pais não estava estressada. Quanto à manifestação do estresse parental: o escore médio do estresse dos pais foi baixo. Entretanto, nas três subescalas e no questionário total, 35% dos pais apresentaram níveis de estresse considerado preocupante. Pais de adolescentes apresentaram escore médio mais alto do que pais de crianças, na subescala interação disfuncional genitor-criança (p=0,03). Houve maior proporção de pais de adolescentes com nível de estresse considerado preocupante (n= 54,50%, p=0,008). A comparação entre os dados socioeconômicos e o estresse parental revelou que o estresse é maior em pais com menos escolaridade. Os resultados chamam atenção para a necessidade de assistir a saúde emocional de pais de filhos com síndrome de Down, com foco para os pais de adolescentes.Palavras-chave: Pai. Síndrome de Down. Estresse. Abstract:The aim of this study is analysing the presence of worried levels of general and parental stress in parents who has children and teenagers with down´s syndrome. This is a transversal and analytic study that happened in five institutions that assist people with deficiency in Goiânia, Goiás. The sample consists of forty parents. Instruments of analyses of the stress: List of symptoms of stress to adults of LIPP (ISSL). The analyses of the general stress happened through of LIPP test: most of the parents wasn´t stressed but those who had stress were in the phase of resistance. In respect of the manifestation of the parental stress: the average level of stress of the parents was low in the three subscales and in the entire questionaire, however, 35% of the parents showed worried levels of stress. Parents of teenagers showed average level higher than the parents of children in the subscale dysfunctional interaction genitor-child. There was bigger proportion of parents of teenagers they have worried levels of stress. Comparison between the socioeconomic data and the parental stress revealed that the stress is bigger in parents who have studied a little bit. The results show that it´s necessary to help the emotional health of parents and children with down´s syndrome with the focus to the parents of teenagers.

Evaluation of Quality of Life in Mothers of Children with Down Syndrome

“…This finding is consistent with Oliveira & Limongi (2011) findings. Also, the mean of environmental health of the mothers had a significant difference with their education level.…”

“…Malhotra, Khan, and Bhatia (2013) in a study assessed the quality of life in parents of children with developmental disabilities and concluded that in all subscales of "quality of life", these parents are faced with restrictions (Malhotra, Khan, & Bhatia, 2013). In a study (Oliveira & Limongi, 2011) on parents and caregivers of children with Down syndrome, the same instrument was used, but they that mothers had good quality of life (84%), and were satisfied with the mental health (55%). The results are inconsistent with this research's findings.…”

“…The results of this study can be explained, however, in the sense that taking care of children with Down syndrome brings along fatigue, time consumption, and stress for the parents. However, research shows that parents of these children more easily get used to this condition, because children with Down syndrome have positive features and less behavioral problems than children with other disabilities (Amirmajd & Sareskanrud, 2012;Oliveira & Limongi, 2011).…”

Mothers of 0–3‐year‐old children with Down syndrome: Effects on quality of life

“…The present findings are similar to those of other studies with regard to decreased QoL in parents of children with DS in many domains, including social function, daily activity and environmental support. 8,[13][14][15]17,21 Also there is a limited number of studies on the QoL of mothers of 0-3-yearold children with chronic disorders. Similar to the present results, mothers of children aged 0-3 years with congenital anomaly or atopic dermatitis had lowered QoL.…”

“…13 In another two studies, parents of children with DS had lower scores on the WHO Quality of Life (short version; the brief World Health Organization Quality of Life scale -Turkish version (WHOQOL-BREF-TR) psychological and environmental subscales. 14,15 Hatzmann et al showed that parents of children with DS had lower scores in cognitive and social functionality, daily activities and vitality compared with the parents of children without a chronic disease. 16 Several factors such as lower socioeconomic status, higher maternal age, behavioral problems and health problems of the child, lack of social support, marital dissatisfaction, less participation in social activities and professional support, maladaptive coping styles of parents, and higher burden are associated with lower HRQoL in parents of DS children.…”