Perceived Social Support and Post-Traumatic Growth among Parents of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Background: Parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often face chronic caregiving stress, yet some also report positive psychological change, known as post-traumatic growth (PTG), alongside this adversity. Perceived social support is theorised to buffer caregiving stress and facilitate such growth, but evidence in this population, and on gender differences within it, remains limited. Objective: This study examined the relationship between perceived social support and PTG among parents of children with NDDs and tested for gender differences in both variables. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational and comparative design was used. Participants: Eighty parents (40 male, 40 female), aged 18 years and above, of children with NDDs were recruited by convenience sampling from child rehabilitation centres and special schools in Malappuram District, Kerala, India. Measures: A personal data sheet, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS; Zimet et al., 1988), and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) were administered. Statistical analysis: Data were analysed using Pearson's correlation and independent-samples t-tests. Results: Perceived social support was significantly and positively correlated with post-traumatic growth (r = .590, p < .01), a large effect by conventional benchmarks. No significant gender differences emerged in perceived social support (t(78) = −0.558, p = .579, d = 0.12) or in post-traumatic growth (t(78) = −1.312, p = .193, d = 0.29). Conclusion: Higher perceived social support was strongly associated with greater post-traumatic growth among parents of children with NDDs, irrespective of gender. Findings support incorporating social-support-focused, gender-inclusive components into services for these families, though the correlational design precludes causal inference and the modest, single-district sample limits generalisability.