Rates and Correlates of Stigmatization Expressed by Parents of Young Children with Developmental Difficulties in a Middle-Income Country

ÖZALP AKIN E., BİNGÖLER PEKCİCİ E. B., ERTEM İ.

JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS, vol.43, no.2, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 43 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000000979
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, PASCAL, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, EBSCO Education Source, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, Veterinary Science Database
  • Keywords: stigma, child, developmental difficulties, parent, coping, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, AFFILIATE STIGMA, FAMILY CAREGIVERS, MOTHERS, AUTISM, DISCRIMINATION, INDIVIDUALS, EPILEPSY, PEOPLE, IMPACT
  • Ankara University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Objective: Information on stigmatization of young children with developmental difficulties (DDs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where most children reside, is crucial to combat stigma globally. We aimed to identify rates and correlates of stigmatization of young children with DDs in a middle-income country, Turkey. Method: In this cross-sectional study, parents of children aged 0 to 42 months attending Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Division for their first visit were recruited consecutively. Parents responded to the written open-ended stigma questions of the Expanded Guide for Monitoring Child Development. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with stigmatization. Results: The sample comprised 306 children (60.8% boys) with DDs (72.9% with chronic illness/disability and 27.1% with isolated language delay). Most of the mothers (61.1%) and fathers (60.7%) had less than high school education. Stigmatization was reported by 102 (33.3%) families. Child's sex, age, and health condition were not, but 5 of 9 environmental/contextual factors examined were statistically significantly associated with stigmatization. In the logistic regression model, not receiving support from relatives/friends (odds ratio [OR] = 4.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.16-11.48) and feelings of depression in the mother were independent factors associated with stigmatization (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.04-4.50). Conclusion: In a referred sample from Turkey and likely other LMICs, a large proportion of parents of young children with DDs report having experienced stigmatization at their first developmental assessment. Interventions that aim to address stigmatization in this early period must focus on support from family/friends and maternal mental health, which are independent strong correlates of stigma.