Content area

Full text

 
Headnote

Abstract:

This pilot study compared the development of two groups of adolescents-those whose parents were blind and those whose parents were sighted. It found that there were no essential differences between the groups. Moreover, the friendship relationships, feelings toward parents, and some essential characteristics of the adolescents' emotional state were more positive among the adolescents whose parents were blind.

Since the 1960s, there has been growing interest in the effects of disabilities of parents on the development of children, and an increasing number of studies have dealt with this subject (Ackerson, 2003; Aldridge & Becker, 1999; Finney & Miller, 1999; Keith & Morris, 1996; Kelley, Sikka, & Venkatesan, 1997; Olsen & Parker, 1997; Wells & Jones, 2000). The main topics of these studies have been the quality of parenting (Olsen & Clarke, 2003), long-term outcomes for children of parents with disabilities and the impact of parents' disabilities on children's mental health and social behavior (Peters & McMahon, 2002; Olsen & Clarke, 2003), and the children's role as "young carers" for their disabled parents (Aldridge & Becker, 2003). No studies have been conducted on the attitudes of children and adolescents toward their parent or parents with disabilities, emotional responses to the situation, and social life. The main goal of the study presented here was to compare the social life, emotional state, and feelings toward parents of adolescents with parents who are blind and those with sighted parents.

Theoretical background

SOCIAL LIFE

In adolescence, social life has a special importance. Friendships supply emotional support and enrich the inner world of the adolescent and contribute to his or her physical and emotional well-being (Crosnoe, Cavanagh, & Elder, 2003; Laursen, 1993; Seiffge, 1993). Parenting styles and good parenting skills have an important impact on children's ability to develop a social life and friendships (Cui, Conger, Bryant, & Elder, 2002; Engels, Finkenauer, Meeus, & Decovic, 2001; Rice, 1990; Yoniss & Smollar, 1985). In our study, two kinds of variables characterized the adolescents' social life: first, the amount of free time and the intensity of the aid that the adolescents rendered to their parents, and second, the quantity and quality of their friendship relations.

EMOTIONAL STATE

In this research, the children's emotional state was studied in the theoretical context...

Show less