Persons with moderate intellectual disorders develop a lower level of independence in various practical skills due to the deficiencies in the field of intellectual abilities and adjustment skills. However, this is not the only reason which reduces their level of independence. For the development of independence in practical skills, it is important to encourage independence in the domestic environment above all. Parents are often not enough consistent and persistent in encouraging independence because of various reasons. However, lifelong encouraging and preserving independence in practical skills is very important for the persons with the moderate mental disorder (MMD) because it has a positive influence on their functioning in everyday life and it contributes to raising their self-confidence and (self)respect. In addition, it enables a lesser strain on the parents. Therefore, it is important that the parents encourage their children with MMD for their entire lives in achieving and preserving the optimal level of independence in practical skills, as thus they will contribute to the higher level of quality of their lives.
The purpose of the research is to ascertain the level of independence of the persons with MMD in practical skills, evaluated by their parents and identifying the fields of practical skills in which the persons with MMD are the least and the most independent according to the opinion of the parents. The purpose of the research was also to ascertain what the level of satisfaction of the parents with the independence of the persons with MMD is, what the reasons for the lower level of satisfaction are, and what most efficiently assists to improving their independence according to the opinion of the parents. We research all this with the goal to form the directives for the efficient encouraging independence of persons with MMD in practical skills.
42 parents of persons with MMD were included in the research. The persons with MMD are from 18 to 40 years old. The results of the research show that the level of independence of the persons with MMD in practical skills which is evaluated by the parents, influences statistically significantly the level of satisfaction of the parents. More the persons with MMD are satisfied in practical skills more the parents are satisfied with their independence. According to their parents, the persons with MMD are the most independent in the field of caring for themselves, and the least, they are independent in the fields of tasks outside of the household, mobility, housework, and household tasks in the kitchen. The parents mostly believe that the reason for them not being entirely satisfied with the independence of their child with MMD in practical skills is child’s inability to perform certain tasks and the lack of patience and persistence of the parents to getting accustomed to independence. According to the opinion of the parents, greater motivation of a child for independent performing tasks and more confidence of parents in child’s abilities contribute to raising independence of persons with MMD in practical skills the most.
On the basis of the results, the directives are produced. They are intended for all that are involved in dealing with the MMD and wish to gain some ideas, knowledge, and advice on how to encourage independence as efficiently as possible.
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