Association between Coping Behaviors, Domestic Violence and Depression in Parents of Children with Down's Syndrome

Abstract

Aim: Analyze the prevalence of domestic violence and depression and their association with coping behaviors in a group of parents of children with Down´s Syndrome. Study Design: No experimental, descriptive-correlational. Sample: This study used a non probabilistic sample of 212 parents of children with Down´s Syndrome, men and women, were the average age was 43.52 years old and most of them reported to be married (66%). The averageage of the Down´s Syndrome children was 13.7 years old. Methods: The instrument applied was composed by three scales: the depression symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), an adapted version of the Coping Mechanisms Scale (EEC-M) for the measuring of coping strategies, and a domestic violence scale validated in Mexican population (Martínez Lanz, 2007). Results: The largest percentage of parents reported low levels of depression symptoms and domestic violence (79% y 87%, respectively).The results showed that parents with the highest levels of depressive symptoms usually got a more adequate solution for the problems, also reported more religious ways of coping situations, higher inhibition of their own emotions, search of professional support for aggressive reactions, cognitive avoidance and a bigger expression and distortion of problems. Conclusion: Highest correlations were found in emotional inhibition, aggressive behavior and difficult coping expressions depressive symptoms were strongly related with rejection of emotional decisions and aggressive behavior.