Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - DP130046
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED333642 AUTHOR: Gowen, Jean W.; And Others
TITLE: Informational Needs of Parents of Young Children
with Special Needs: Technical Report.
YEAR PUBLISHED: (1989)
NOTE: 46 p.
ABSTRACT: The study surveyed the informational needs of
parents (N=367) of children, ages birth to 8 years, with
disabilities and developmental delay. The questionnaire
used, revised for this study, attempted to determine
information needs by asking about interests and problems in
child rearing through the use of "titles" of articles. It
also surveyed attitudes and demographic information.
Results are summarized for interests, problems, and
preferred sources of information by the following
categories: fathers and mothers combined; mothers versus
fathers; mothers' level of education; mothers' race;
mothers' marital status; age of child; gender of child;
number of children; child rearing attitudes. Over half the
parents expressed a strong concern over whether they could
help their children reach their full potential. High
readership ratings were given to titles about helping their
special needs child adjust, building their child's
self-confidence, enhancing learning and a cademic skills,
developing imagination, and discipline. Strong interest was
expressed in learning how to deal with the emotional highs
and lows of parenting a child with special needs. Mothers
with less than a high school education differed from other
groups in preferring to get child rearing information from
family and friends. In general, parents preferred different
sources for information on different parenting topics. The
questionnaire is appended. (Includes 33 references.) (DB)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Demography-; Early-Childhood-Education;
Family-Problems; Fathers-; Infants-; Information-Needs;
Interests-; Mothers-; Parent-Attitudes; Parent-Background;
Questionnaires-; Young-Children
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Child-Rearing; *Developmental
Disabilities; *Disabilities-
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This file was generated from data base DP on 06/25/02.
Data base DP was last revised on 12/95/ .
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