Coping strategies of caregivers of persons with a disability attending a special education Center in Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: coping strategies are specific efforts that individuals use to tolerate or minimize stressful events. Most caregivers´ of children with disabilities must adjust to their social life to cope with the responsibility of caring for a child with disabilities. This study was carried out to assess caregivers´ coping strategies in raising a child with a disability in a resource-poor country. METHODS: a researcher-administered questionnaire adapted from the standard COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) inventory was used on consenting respondents recruited from a designated special education school. Coping responses were graded on a five-point Likert scale and data were analyzed using computer software SPSS version 22. RESULTS: the mean age of the respondents was 42.75 years. Males constituted 30% (12/40) whereas females constituted 70% (28/40). The diagnosed disorders amongst their children/wards were speech and hearing impairment (32.5%), cerebral palsy (12.5%), learning disability (10%), autism (10%), Down's syndrome (15%), epilepsy (20%). Most caregivers exhibited active coping (MNR 3-4) especially in areas of planning and seeking professional help. Turning to religion and acceptance of the situation (MNR 4-5) were common emotional coping strategies noted but most of these had no significant relationship with gender or income. Caregivers with lower earnings tend to pay more attention to the child´s disability than concentrating on other activities. CONCLUSION: the findings support that religious belief provides endurance and resistance to people dealing with stress while low socioeconomic status negatively affects the ability to focus on other activities during stress.