Abstract:

It is important to examine the emotional states of mother and father who have a child with special needs and the factors associated with depression, to understand these concepts more comprehensively, to reveal the gaps in the literature and to pose new research questions. A better understanding of families with children with special needs may offer an important opportunity for early intervention for those who show signs of depression. The aim of this study; It is a systematic evaluation of the studies on the depression levels of mother and father with disabled children between the years 2010-2022. In the study, databases such as Web of science, Scopus, Directory of open Access journals (DOAJ), Pubmed, CABI, CAS, ULAKBİM, ERIC, Google Scholar, and Proquest were searched. In the included studies, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess the risk of bias and the quality of the studies. The keywords “mother and father of children with special needs”, “mother and father with children with disabilities”, “depression in mother and father of children with special needs” were scanned together with their English equivalents. As a result of the scanning, 622 academic studies were handled in line with in-scope and out-of-scope criteria. Data were analyzed by content analysis method. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that 69.2% of the studies conducted between 2010-2022 were national and international articles, the most studies were conducted between 2017- 2022, and most of the sample groups were quantitative studies with more than 100 individuals. In most of the research results evaluated, “depression level” is related to “disability type of the child with special needs, educational status of the mother and father, economic income of the family, whether the family receives social support, the harmony of the spouses, the support of the people living together in the care of the special needs child, the problem solving and the problem solving skills of the family members. coping skills” were determined to affect anxiety and depression levels. In most of the studies evaluated, it was determined that mothers fell into depression with the belief that they would not be able to do anything in the face of their responsibilities. In the works planned to be carried out in the future; considering our study findings in the selection of subject, sample, and research design; It will increase the quality of scientific knowledge produced in the field of disability individuals.

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