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Gender differences in positive perceptions, anxiety, and depression among mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disabilities: a logistic regression analysis

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Abstract

This study explores gender differences in positive perceptions, anxiety, and depression among mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disabilities (IDs). We examined the relationship between these variables and certain characteristics of both the child (age and severity of disability) and the parents (age, educational level, and employment status). A sample of 60 mother/father couples who had children with IDs completed the Positive Contributions Scale to measure their positive perceptions, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale to assess their level of anxiety and depression. Bivariate analyses were used to determine differences between fathers and mothers as regards their positive perceptions and levels of anxiety and depression. A logistic regression model was then applied to identify which of the variables might be significant predictors of the gender differences observed among parents. Both mothers and fathers had positive perceptions of their children with IDs that co-existed with symptoms of anxiety and depression, with scores being higher among mothers. The predictive analysis of gender showed that individual variables (such as the employment status of both parents) may explain these differences.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our thanks to the families of children and adolescents with IDs who participated in this study, as well as to the many professionals from special schools who agreed to take part.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Pg. De la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 , Barcelona, Spain

    Rosa Vilaseca & Fina Ferrer

  2. Department of Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences, Institute for Research on the Brain, Cognition, and Behavior (IR3C), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Joan Guardia Olmos

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  1. Rosa Vilaseca
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  2. Fina Ferrer
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Correspondence to Rosa Vilaseca.

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Vilaseca, R., Ferrer, F. & Guardia Olmos, J. Gender differences in positive perceptions, anxiety, and depression among mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disabilities: a logistic regression analysis. Qual Quant 48, 2241–2253 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-013-9889-2

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