Effects of Mothers’ Level of Stress on the Academic Performance of Female Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the stress level in mothers of female students with intellectual disability and its implications for academic performance. In this quantitative examination, a sample of 100 mothers of students with intellectual disabilities was selected by purposive sampling technique from the district of Lahore. Data was collected using a standardized scale, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). For the purpose of the study researcher was only selected stress items. The reliability coefficients of stress scale were 0.838. The collected quantitative data were analysed using SPSS. The study's findings revealed that 80% of mothers of female children with intellectual disability exhibited a moderate to severe level of stress, while the remaining 20% experienced normal to mild level of stress. Children level of disability effects the stress of mothers. The children with mild level of disability their mothers’ level of stress was 6%. As compared to others, children with moderate level of disability their mothers’ level of stress were 24% and severe disability their mothers’ level of stress were 4%. Chi-square test for independence revealed that there is a significant association between the stress level of mothers and the academic performance of children. Particularly, mothers with more stress had daughters with worse academic performance. It is recommended that counseling centers should be established in both urban and rural regions, offering mothers of children with ID accessible and affordable services. Parent teacher meetings should be frequently planned in schools because it is very important to communicate each other.