Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Every parent plays a crucial role in raising their children, shouldering significant

responsibilities for their children’s well-being and development. The parent’s joy is priceless

at the moment of birth when they see their child for the very first time. Unforeseen,

oftentimes their feelings of joy and eagerness abruptly fade when they discover their child

has a disability. However, this discovery does not become an obstacle to taking good care

of, loving, and supporting their child. On the contrary, it further strengthens their belief that

they need to love and care for their child with special needs even more.

Numerous parents experience the unexpected birth of a child with a disability around

the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report in (2023), an estimated

1.3 billion people – about 16% of the global population – currently experience significant

disability. In addition, according to a recent United Nations International Children's

Emergency Fund (UNICEF) report in (2021), nearly 240 million children aged from birth to 17

live with a disability or 1 in 10 of all children worldwide. The report also notes that in Europe

and Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia between 6 percent and 11

percent of children live with a disability. South Asia has the largest number of children living

with a disability, 64.4 million, followed by East Asia and the Pacific, 43.7 million. In the

Philippines, according to the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) report in (2025),

1.9 million registered Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), representing approximately 1.6% of

the population of the country. With such a large population of person with disabilities, it

means there are more than hundred million of parents experiencing having a child with a

disability.

Parents caring for a child with an acquired disability often reports a negative impact

on physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual health associated with caregiver burden
related to their child’s complex needs (Philips, 2002). Several studies pointed out that

parenting or raising a child with disabilities presents significant challenges.

According to the study of (Lekholetova et al., 2023), parents of children in disabilities

in Ukraine faced many challenges, lead it to become more difficult. Firstly, emotional and

psychological burdens; the stress, anxiety, and potential for mental health issues. According

to Smith (2002 cited in Thwala et al., 2015) parents of children with disabilities experience

greater stress and a larger number of caregiving challenges, such as health problems,

greater feelings of restriction, and higher levels of parental depression than parents of

children without disabilities. Secondly, parents of children with special needs in Ukraine

experienced a financial strain. The low financial resources that they have, hinders them to

improve their living conditions, leading to lack of funds to buy the necessary food, medicines,

and technical means of disability compensations.

The study of (Zechella & Raval, 2015) explores the unique experiences and

challenges faced by Asian Indian immigrant parents raising children with Intellectual and

Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in the United States. The study highlights how cultural

contexts and the migration experience shape the parenting journey of these families. These

parents initially encountered difficulties with their local communities’ acceptance of IDD,

often rooted in religious interpretations of disability. Majority of parents self-identified as

Hindu, and reflected on ways in which extended family members provided religious

explanations for the cause of the child’s disability which is the cause of curse. Same as with

the other parents from the other cultural backgrounds, they found support in family, social

awareness, acceptance, and access to resources, while the lack of these factors to each

parents raising children with disabilities contributed to stress.

In Africa, a study by Tigere & Makhubele (2019) focused on the experience of

parents of children with disabilities at Lehlaba Protektive Workshop in Sekhukhune District.

The study revealed significant hardships faced by these parents, including varied cultural
understanding. Parents held diverse beliefs about the causes of their children’s disabilities,

ranging from witchcraft and curses to medical reasons and accidents. Some also believed

that cures were available through medical, spiritual, or traditional African means. In addition,

raising a child according to these parents is expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally

straining for parents. The study highlighted a significant lack of support systems available to

parents of children with disabilities in the Sekhukhune District. These parents faced

challenges, including the lack of necessary resources, professional support and protective

legislation to protect and promote the rights of children with disabilities in the region.

In the study of (Joung, 2023), he revealed the mother’s lived experiences of caring

for pubescent children with Developmental Disabilities (DDs) in South Korea. According to

the study, parents of children with (DDs) are not being allowed to take delight in their child’s

growth due to unbalanced growth rate. A child who hits puberty grows rapidly, showing no

promise of becoming independent. The mothers are perplexed and bewildered when their

children act like toddlers despite their size. A child’s fast- growing body adds burden to the

mother’s daily tasks.

In a study of Wang & Michaels (2009) some families of children with severe

disabilities in China, perceived the need for more community services, information and

family/social support. With respect to support systems, parents indicated that they primarily

rely on their child’s school, their spouse, and their extended families. Minor differences were

found between mothers and fathers (with mothers perceiving greater level of needs than

fathers), and families of children with autism tended to report greater needs for information

and supports than parents of children with intellectual disabilities or physical disabilities.

Moreover, the medical cost and caring cost of disabled children were significantly more than

those of normal children, and the education cost, clothes cost and amusement cost of

disabled children were significantly less than those of normal children. Family income was

only predicted by parent’s education level. Families of disabled children received more

economic assistance than families of normal children except families of autistic children.
More children the family had, less economic assistance the family had, less economic

assistance the family acquired (Xiaong, et al., 2011).

In a recent UNICEF (2016) report, it was stated that financial barriers are one of

major burdens in caregiving for a child with disabilities in Malaysia. Those barriers include

transport to services, medical, bill, nutritional, supplement, diapers, and assistive devices. In

addition, they received limited disability allowances, which increases the financial strain.

According to Olsson and Hwang (2001) report that parents of children with disabilities are

likely to experience a higher burden compared to parents of children that do not have

disabilities. Some of the challenging aspects of caring for these children include excessive

caring burden, less quality time with family members, handling sibling problems education

and future concerns, as well as financial difficulties (Shirley et al., 2017).

In Cambodia, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) (cited in Cooperation

Committee for Cambodia 2006), the presence of one member with disabilities in the country

can lead to higher expenditures which may push the family into debt or force them to sell

their assets to pay for treatment. Besides, one of the parents cannot help to generate

income for the family due to the time dedicated for providing care (Carter, 2009).

Consequently, health care and attention provided to people with disabilities become a long-

life burden, especially when families realize that their child cannot be treated adequately due

to the lack of human resources specialized in this sector. In addition, social discrimination

may lead the family and community to some actions that affect the rights and the livelihood

of children with disabilities. Asian Development Bank (ADB) (cited in Cooperation Committee

for Cambodia, 2006) reports that the social status of persons with disabilities in Cambodia so

low as to be practically nonexistent in some cases. According to the report, people with

disabilities represent the poorest group in Cambodia, completely dependent on the charity

and compassion of others, including family. Such dependence reflects that they do not have

the option to choose what they want but must rely entirely on their caregiver’s will. As a
result, according to Cambodian Disabled People Organization (CDPO) annual report (2008),

people with disabilities are still excluded from community development projects.

In Indonesia, according to Donley, et al. (2018) children with special needs endure

delays in receiving health treatment when compared to children who do not have special

needs. Parents are burdened by the presence of children with special needs according to

(Widyatno et al., 2018). Parents find it difficult to care for their children when they exhibit

difficult to control behaviors such as aggression, hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating,

difficult to manage, tantrums, a tendency to hurt themselves, and frequent mood swings

(Widyatno et al., 2018). Furthermore, one in three parents felt negative feelings

(embarrassed, unhappy, and dejected) about their child's condition that was not as

expected, according to (Faradina, 2016). The presence of children with special needs

triggers parental stress (Cuzzocrea et al., 2016). The results of the research by Pocinho &

Fernandes (2018) show that the stress level of parents who have special needs is higher

than parents who do not. The stress level of parents with special needs also varies from low,

medium and high stress (Widyatno et al., 2018).

In the Philippines, a study conducted at San Roque, Peñablanca, Cagayan by

Bartolome et al., (2025), the parents of Person with Disabilities (PWD) described their

experiences in raising their children and can be summed up as psycho-emotional complexity

care giving. According to these parents caring and raising their children with disabilities

involves a combination of physical exhaustion and emotional challenges. This complex care

giving role requires them to develop resilience and find ways to manage the various aspects

of their daily lives.

A study conducted in the province of Eastern Samar by (Simbulan, 2013) focused on

Children with Disabilities (CWD) in Philippine society. It described the socio-economic

conditions of children with Disabilities and their families, and the nature and extent of the

problems they experienced. The findings from seven municipalities in Eastern Samar
revealed that children with disabilities come from big and poor agricultural families with low

levels of education. Hearing, mental, physical and visual disabilities were the common forms

of disabilities of children in the said province. Most of the families were unable to meet these

needs because of economic difficulties and accessibility of programs and services. Stated in

the study that it is urgent to capacitate families of children with disabilities to address their

needs and develop positive coping behaviors through family centered programs and

services that will help alleviate their conditions and problems.

Despite the challenges they experienced, parents have their own various ways in

addressing their problems (Di Giulio, et al., 2014). Developing effective coping mechanism is

essential. Appropriate coping strategies to address these challenges greatly assist them in

terms of raising their children with disabilities. It is observed that parents having children with

special needs are affected in many ways which may persist throughout their life. Therefore,

understanding various ways of coping is important, as it will helps parents to choose

effective coping skills to yield a significant impact in their child-rearing process (Borah,

2021).

Beyond studying the lived experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms, it is

also important to discover and understand the unique needs of parents raising children with

disabilities. Furthermore, there is a need to determine what kind of support systems these

parents require. This study is also expected to provide new evidence for the need of

developing solid support systems for parents of children with disabilities in Guiuan, Eastern

Samar.

This phenomenological study aims to determine and understand the lived

experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms of parents raising a child with disabilities.

This study has the potential to contribute valuable insights across various fields within the

social sciences, including psychology, sociology, economics, and education, particularly

concerning parenting children with disabilities. This study is relevant to Social Studies
Program, as it will uncover and discuss one social issues in a society that people tend to

neglect and don’t pay too much attention to. This will be an eye opener for everyone to see

and understand the challenges faced by parents raising children with disabilities. This will be

also a tool to advocate for social change and inclusion, through this study, students can

learn how to develop empathy and respect the diversity to create and work towards more

inclusive society for all. Furthermore, the researchers believe that the conduct of this study is

relevant and important for society, government, and education. This paper highlights the

lived experiences, challenges, and problems they encountered in raising their children with

disability, as well as their coping mechanisms and recommended programs that will serve as

support systems and assistance for these parents in raising their children with special needs.

The insights gained from their experience could be used to help other parents overcome

their own challenges and focus on the development of their own, regarding on parenting

children with disabilities.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to investigate the challenges and coping mechanisms of parents

raising children with disabilities. Specifically, this sought answers to the following questions:

1. What are the challenges faced by mothers in raising children with disabilities?

2. What coping mechanisms do mothers use to handle these challenges?

3. How do external factors, such as community support, government assistance or

healthcare access, influence their coping strategies?

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be beneficial to the parents, healthcare providers,

special education teachers and educators, social workers, government agencies, community

members and general public, researchers and future researchers.

To the Parents. This will help them gain valuable insights into the coping mechanisms they

utilize and learn that their resilience and strategies are being acknowledged, contributing to a

more nuanced and positive understanding of caregiving.

To the Healthcare Providers. This will help them gain a deeper understanding of the

emotional, financial, and psychological challenges these parents face. This can help improve

the delivery of empathetic care, advice, and referrals to appropriate resources.

To the Special Education Teachers and Educators. Teachers working with children with

disabilities will benefit from a better understanding of the family dynamic and the pressure

parents face. This could improve communication and collaboration between school and

families, ultimately enhancing the educational experience for children with disabilities.

To the Social Workers. This will help them assist families with access resources and

support and will have more information about coping strategies parents use. These can help

them guide families towards the most relevant resources and provide stronger, more tailored

advocacy for these families' needs.

To the Government Agencies. Through the result of this study, this will help them advocate

for better support systems. This could inform policy changes regarding finding for caregiver

support, mental health services, educational accommodations and disability services.

To the Community Members and General Public. This can help them gain a better

understanding of the challenges and strengths of families raising children with disabilities.

The study can help foster more empathy, understanding, and support for these families,

ultimately contributing to greater social inclusion.

To the Researchers. The result of this study will provide useful information contributing to

the growing body of literature on coping mechanisms, caregiving, and resilience in the

context of disability. The research can serve as a foundation for future studies exploring

similar themes.
To the Future Researchers. This could be used as a reference for the challenges and

coping mechanisms of parents raising children with disabilities, perhaps finding similarities

within their own research.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study focuses on uncovering the experiences and coping mechanisms of

parents raising children with disabilities in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It aims to explore their

emotional, social, and practical strategies in managing the challenges of caregiving. This

research will examine factors such as resilience, social support and the overall impact of

these mechanisms on their well-being. This research will use qualitative methods such as

interviews, to get in-depth insights. This research will be conducted in Guiuan, Eastern

Samar in the second quarter of 2025.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are theoretically and operationally defined in order to facilitate

easier understanding of the study:

Persons with Disabilities. According to United Nations (n.d.), Convention on the

Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol (CRPD) defines persons with

disabilities "include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory

impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective

participation in society on an equal basis with others". In this study, this refers to a person

having long-time impairments that hinders and affect their daily life.

Parenting. According to United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund

(UNICEF) (n.d.), parenting is the job of providing nurturing care throughout childhood,

preparing children to live in society, form relationships, learn, work and thrive. In this study,

it refers as to how a parent or guardian provide support, care, and love to his or her children

to ensure grow and development of the overall well-being.

 Parent. According to Cambridge dictionary (n.d.), mother or father of a person or

an animal, or someone who takes care of a person in the same way that a parent does. In

this study, parent refers to a person who is taking care of his or her own child.

Coping Mechanism. Coping is defined as the thoughts and behaviors mobilized to manage

internal and external stressful situations (Algorani,2023). In this research, this refers as to

how an individual manage, deal and faced with difficult situation or scenario in raising

children with disabilities.

Phenomenological Study. An approach to research that seeks to describe the

essence of a phenomenon by exploring it from the perspective of those who have

experienced it. The goal of phenomenology is to describe the meaning of this experience—

both in terms of what was experienced and how it was experienced (Neubauer,2019). In this

study, it allows the researcher to have a better understanding into the challenges and the

coping mechanism of a parent in raising children with disability.

The Unseen Strengths: Uncovering the Challenges and Coping Mechanisms of

Parents Raising Children with Disabilities

A Research Proposal

Presented to

the Faculty of the College of Education

Eastern Samar State University

Guiuan, Eastern Samar

ANTHONY S. LIM-IT

PERLYN ROSE P. ODEVILAS

RICA JANE W. CATAYONG

EDRALYN R. PADUAL

MARK G. BALBUENA

APRIL 2025
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