Impact of Stress among Parents of Children having Hearing Impairment : A Study on Visakhapatnam School Students

Studies on stress revealed several areas and aspects related to it. Abidin (1995), viewed these areas as aspect inborn within the child, aspect inborn in the parent, and aspect related to the parent-child contact. The ldentification of these aspects draws awareness to the reality that children and parents are inclined by diverse variables. The present study was conducted to examine the stress of parents having children with hearing impairment. The sample consisted of 116 parents comprising 58 fathers and 58 mothers of hearing impaired children who were studying in special education schools and centers in Visakhapatnam district. Data was gathered through Parental Sress Index questionnaire developed by Abadin(1995). The data was analyzed using independent sample t test and one way and two way ANOVA to see whether there is significant mean difference on parental stress as a function of gender, parental income and parental education. Based on findings of the present study, the conclusion and recommendations were .forwarded.