Mothers' Attitudes and Treatment Practices Toward Children with Hearing and Speech Difficulties and Their Relationship to Children’s Self-Concept in Hebron, Palestine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59994/pau.2025.3.167Keywords:
Communication Disorders, Hearing Impairment, Parenting Styles, Mothers’ Attitudes, Self-Concept, Childhood Development, Psychological AdjustmentAbstract
This study investigates the relationship between mothers’ attitudes and treatment practices toward their children with hearing and speech difficulties and the children’s levels of self-concept. The research was conducted in the Hebron Governorate in Palestine and targeted 30 mothers and their 30 children aged 6–18 years enrolled in specialized rehabilitation and special education centers. A descriptive correlational design was employed, utilizing the Parental Treatment Scale adapted to the Palestinian context and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to measure children’s self-concept. Validity was established through expert review, while reliability analyses showed high internal consistency for both instruments. The findings revealed a moderate positive correlation between maternal treatment practices and children’s self-concept, indicating that supportive, accepting, and emotionally responsive maternal behaviors contribute to higher levels of self-esteem among children with communication disorders. In contrast, paternal treatment demonstrated only a weak correlation with children’s self-concept. No statistically significant differences in self-concept were observed between gender or age groups. Additionally, multiple regression analysis indicated that maternal treatment emerged as the most significant predictor of self-concept, emphasizing the crucial role of mothers in the psychological adjustment of children with speech and hearing impairments. This study underscores the necessity of enhancing maternal parenting skills, incorporating family counseling into rehabilitation programs, and fostering positive communication strategies within the home environment. The results offer important insights for practitioners, rehabilitation specialists, and policymakers aiming to improve the psychological well-being and social integration of children facing communication challenges.
Downloads
References
Abdel Maqsoud, A. (2004). Scale of parental treatment methods (In Arabic). Anglo- Egyptian Library.
Ahmed, S., & Muhammad, S. (2002). Raising children and their needs: Between theory and practice (In Arabic). Alexandria Center.
Al-Rashdan, A. (2005). Education and socialization (In Arabic). Wael Publishing House.
Al-Rihani, S. (1981). Mental retardation (In Arabic). National Printing House.
Al-Sayed, F. (1981). Statistical tables (In Arabic). Dar Al-Fikr Al-Arabi.
Arditti, J. A. (2016). A family stress-proximal process model for understanding the effects of parental incarceration on children and their families. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 5(2), 65.
Fadda, W. (2004). Children with special needs (In Arabic). Arab Association Publishing Library.
Hill, D. J., Li, D., Wang, J., & Liew, J. (2022). Cultural values, intergenerational transmission of internalized racism, education, and career goals in Chinese American families. Journal of Career Development, 49(5), 1168-1180.
Ismail, M. (1974). How to raise our children? (In Arabic). (3rd ed.). Dar Al-Nahda Al-Arabiya.
Kafafi, A. (1989). Parenting and mental illness: An experimental clinical study (In Arabic). Hajar Publishing House.
Kafani, A. (2008). Family guidance (In Arabic). Dar Al-Ma'rifa Al-Jami'a.
Keijer, M. G. (2021). Effects of social economic status and parenting values on adolescents’ expected field of study. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 8(1), 1-11.
Khusheim, S. M. (2022). Students with Special Educational Needs: Explaining Their Social Integration and Self-Concept. Journal of Education and Learning, 11(1), 54-64.
Mansour, T., & Al-Beblawi, V. (1989). List of psychological pressures for teachers (In Arabic). Anglo-Egyptian Library.
Özkan, M. (2024). Neglectful Parenting. Parenting Trends And Public Health Nursing, 39.
Pinquart, M., & Kauser, R. (2018). Do the associations of parenting styles with behavior problems and academic achievement vary by culture? Results from a meta-analysis. Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology, 24(1), 75.
Retief, M., & Letšosa, R. (2018). Models of disability: A brief overview. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 74(1).
Rosenberg, M. (2017). The self-concept: Social product and social force. In Social psychology (pp. 593-624). Routledge.
Rubin, K. H., & Chung, O. B. (2013). Parenting beliefs, behaviors, and parent-child relations: A cross-cultural perspective. Psychology Press.
Saadati, N., Al-Dossary, S. A., Coelho, O., Rostami, M., Bulut, S., Parsakia, K., ... & Abadi, P. M. (2025). Investigating Psychological Adaptations of Parents to Childhood Disabilities. Archives of Rehabilitation, 26(1), 118-133.
Sanders, R. E., Lehmann, J., & Gardner, F. (2023). New parents’ idealistic expectations of parenthood: The impact of preconceived ideas. Journal of family issues, 44(3), 850-871.
Ulianova, T., Naumenko, N., Sprynska, Z., Kulesha-Liubinets, M., Didyk, N., & Savchenko, N. (2025). Enhancing Psychological Safety in Parent-Child Relationships: Promoting Healthy Development and Resilience. BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience, 16(1), 174-182.
Veesar, K. A., Bilal, M. S., Noor, S., & Otho, W. A. (2024). Exploring how Positive Psychology-based Parenting Techniques Contribute to Children's Emotional Development, Resilience, and their Ability to form Healthy Social Relationships. Review of Applied Management and Social Sciences, 7(4), 791-808.
Zahran, H. (1974). Social psychology (In Arabic). (3rd ed.). Alam Al-Kutub Publishing.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Palestine Ahliya University for Research and Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
مجلة جامعة فلسطين الاهلية للبحوث والدراسات تعتمد رخصة نَسب المُصنَّف 4.0 دولي (CC BY 4.0)
