The examination of happiness and hope levels of parents caring for children with special needs

The aim of this study is to examine the levels of happiness and hope among parents who care for children with special needs, within the framework of various demographic and social variables. Designed using the survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, the study analyzed data from 227 parents living in the central district of Amasya who provide care for individuals with special needs under the age of 18. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Demographic Information Form developed by the researcher, the Subjective Happiness Scale, and the Dispositional Hope Scale. In addition to descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Chi-square test were used in data analysis. Of the participants, 57,3% were female and 42,7% were male. The results revealed that parents' levels of hope and happiness significantly differed based on variables such as educational status, income level, type and number of the child's needs, whether the parent has special needs, access to social support, and the distribution of caregiving roles. It was observed that parents with a university-level education or higher had a mean dispositional hope score of 51,34±7,20, while those who were illiterate or primary school graduates had a mean score of 40,42±11,75. Notably, individuals with a high socioeconomic status exhibited higher levels of hope and happiness, while psychological well-being differed according to the type of the child's special needs. Contrary to expectations, individuals receiving social support displayed lower levels of hope and happiness. The findings indicate that the psychological well-being of parents of children with special needs is influenced by multidimensional factors, highlighting the importance of systematic support for these individuals. Accordingly, it is recommended that policies be developed to expand psychological counseling services for parents, enhance the effectiveness of social support mechanisms, and balance caregiving role distributions based on gender. Keywords: children with special needs, parents, hope, happiness