Examination of the relationship between hopelessness and anxiety levels among parents of children with intellectual disability and visual impairment of 7-14 ages

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between hopelessness levels and anxiety levels of the parents of children with intellectual disability or visual impairment. The research sample consists of 50 parents, having children with mental disorder and 50 parents having children with visual impairment attending to schools of Istanbul Ministry of Education, which provide special education to kids with special needs, and rehabilitaton centers. The data was collected with self-report measures including 'Personal Information Form' for collecting sociodemographic information, "Beck Hopelessness Inventory" for measurement of the hopelessness levels and 'Beck Anxiety Inventory' for determining the anxiety levels of parents. The research was conducted with descriptive and comparative statistical analyses in order to find out the differences in anxiety and hopelessness scores in accordance with demographic variables. Based on the results of this study, it was revealed that parents' of children with mental disability, anxiety scores were found as significantly higher among single parents, mothers, and having children with severe mental disability. Among parents of children with visual impairment, single parents reported higher scores of anxiety. Hopelessness scores were found as significantly related to degree of disability among parents of children with mental disability. Parents of children with severe mental disability reported significantly higher scores of hopelessnes. Hopelessness and anxiety levels of parents were found as significantly correlated in both parents of children with mental disability and and visual impairment. Additionally, anxiety levels also found to be predict hopelessness levels in both groups.