International Journal Of Drug Delivery Technology
Volume 16, Issue 11s, 2026 | PG 331-336 | Article No 31

A Study To Assess The Coping Intervention On Psychological Distress Among Mothers Of Intellectually Disabled Children With Selected Special Schools

Vijayasamundeeswari P1, Nalini S2, Sasikala P3, Sujatha N S4

1Associate Professor, Department of Paediatric Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research

2Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research

3Assistant Professor, Department Nursing Foundation, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research

4Clinical Instructor, Department of Paediatric Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research

Correspondence Author detail: Dr. P. Vijayasamundeeswari, Associate Professor, Department of Paediatric Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (DU), Porur, Chennai – 600116. Mail id: vijisamun15@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background: Parents of children with special needs have greater challenges than parents of typical children, which has an influence on their psychological well-being. The birth of a kid with mental retardation can have a profound effect on families. 1,2. Parenting children with mental impairment has frequently been hard due to the ongoing care requirements. Studies have shown that parents of mentally retarded children are typically more vulnerable to a range of emotional problems3. Keeping this in view the investigator aimed to assess the effectiveness of coping intervention on depression among mothers of intellectually disabled children.

Methods: 248 mothers were selected randomly based on the inclusion exclusion criteria. Experimentation before intervention and after intervention with control group was adopted for this study. Structured coping intervention was administered for 45 minutes and advised to practice for 8th, 16th and 24th week. Group consisted of 8-10 members per session. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise was demonstrated and requested the mothers of experimental group to redo the same. The experimental group respondents were issued booklets on coping interventions as reference to practice at home for a period of 8th week posttest was conducted.

Results: The findings of the study shows that significant difference in the pre test mean score of 42.24 and post test mean score of 32.67with mean difference 9.57. It was highly significant at p<0.001level.

Conclusion: Coping intervention is effective in improving psychological distress among mothers of intellectually disabled children.

Keywords: Coping intervention, Psychological distress, intellectually disabled children

Key messages

• Mothers of children with intellectual developmental disability are prone to get psychological illness.

• The nurses play an important role in improving the health of the mothers of children with intellectual developmental disability.

• Non pharmacological interventions are available to enhance well-being of the mothers with intellectual developmental disability.

• It is user friendly for the direct health care providers especially the nurses, considered frontliners of the health care facilities. Cost effective and proven to improve the psychological well-being of intellectually disabled children’s mothers.

How to cite this article: Vijayasamundeeswari P, Nalini S, Sasikala P, Sujatha NS. A study to assess the coping intervention on psychological distress among mothers of intellectually disabled children with selected special schools. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(11s): 331-336. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.11s.31

Source of support: Nil.

Conflict of interest: None