WELL-being, PARENT attitudes, ACADEMIC medical centers, COUNSELING, PARENTS of children with disabilities, RESEARCH methodology, INTERVIEWING, PARENTING, QUALITATIVE research, SOCIOECONOMIC factors, PSYCHOSOCIAL factors, DESCRIPTIVE statistics, PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation, DATA analysis software, MENTAL illness
Abstract
This paper presents findings of a study that explored the challenges and coping strategies of parents of children with mental disorders. In-depth interviews were conducted with 35 parents of children with mental disorders at the Psychiatric Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Findings indicated that financial constraints, inability to secure permanent employment, and stigma were the challenges of the parents. Having faith in God and accepting their children's condition were the coping strategies adopted by the parents. However, lack of effective support system makes coping difficult for the parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]