Effect of Presence of Intellectually Disabled Child on The Emotional Development of Normal Siblings

Authors: Dr. Simi Shrivastava

Pages: 46-49

Abstract:

Intellectual disability is not a disease or a simple entity. It is a term applied to a condition of retarded mental developmentpresent at birth or in early childhood and is characterized mainly by limited intelligence.The upbringing of Intellectual disability in the family calls for a variety of emotional stresses and stress adjustment related tochild's disability and these are not restricted to only parents alone. Siblings too form an integral part of family where in theemotional stress, adjustments are also reflected on them which hinder their emotional development. The effect of presence ofintellectually disabled child in the family on emotional development of the normal siblings of disabled was studied. Emotionalmaturity scale was used to ascertain the emotional development of SMDC group and SNC group and it was found that SMDCgroup was lesser emotionally developed than SNC group.