The study aims at pointing out the fact that efficient functioning of the families with the handicapped children is as important as clinical treatment and care in healthy development and in future adjustment to the society for the handicapped children.
Therefore it is necessary to summon the nursing intervention focussed on the support of the parents of the handicapped children and lessen the stress of parent in bringing up the handicapped children in order to fortify the efficient functioning of the families.
The survey was performed from Aug. 9th. to Sep. 1st. 1989 at two handicapped children´s schools in Daejeon and one rehabilitation center in Daegu.
A questionnaire containing demographic informations, stress measurement, the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire, family functioning index, and family strength was given to 104 mothers with handicapped children.
The results were analyzed by S.P.S.S. computer program and summerized as follows：
1. There were significant differences in the mother´s levels of stress depending upon the severity of child´s handicap(F=8.0503, P<.001). However, this study found out that the severity of child´s handicap did not affect family functioning and family strength(F=.1101, P =0.8958, F =2.9996, P=0.0543).
2. Stress was higher for those mothers with additional and unusual care-giving demand for their handicapped children than those with less care(t=-2.65, P<.01). However, there were not significant differences in the family functioning and family strength depending upon additional and unusual care-giving demand(t=1.44, P=0.153, t=1.46, P=0.147).
3. There was significant correlationship between family strength and mother´s social support(family strength and total functional support r=2574, P<.01, family strength and total social support network r=.2259, P<.05). In the family functioning, there was a bit of significant correlationship between family functioning and total functional support(r=.1891, P<.05). But there was not significant correlationship between the stress level and mother´s social support.
4. There was an inverse correlationship between stress level and family functioning(r=-.3991, P<.001). Also there was an inverse correlationship between stress level and family strength(r=-.4248, P<.001).
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