Book Description

While researchers agree that children who are blind or visually impaired may be at risk for experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties, many of these children exhibit adequate psychosocial adjustment. A growing area of research is the study of resilience in at-risk children which emphasizes competent functioning rather than vulnerability. In light of the aforementioned findings, it appears appropriate that the resilience research paradigm be applied to this specific population of at-risk children. Previous research has found strong correlations between competent child functioning and supportive and accepting parent-child relationships in at-risk children. Using this finding as a basis, the current study, modeled after the work of Christian (1997), specifically examined Rutter's (1987) theory--that the establishment and maintenance of self-esteem and self-efficacy are the mechanisms (mediators) through which a supportive and accepting relationship with a parent exerts its protective function--as it applies to children who are blind or visually impaired. Thirty-one children ages 8-12 who were blind or visually impaired and receiving special education vision services in Wisconsin schools completed the following questionnaires: the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, Second Edition; the Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale; and the Child Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire, Mother and Father versions (as applicable). Parents completed a Demographic Questionnaire, the Life Events Questionnaire, and the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children (BASC) - Parent Rating Scale; teachers completed the BASC - Teacher Rating Scale. A path analytic model employing a series of simple and hierarchical regressions was utilized to analyze the data. Conditions were not met for self-esteem and self-efficacy to be examined as mediators as hypothesized. Findings revealed, however, that perception of a supportive and accepting parental relationship significantly predicted self-esteem and that self-esteem, in turn, significantly predicted competence as measured by a low frequency of externalizing and internalizing behaviors and a high frequency of adaptive behaviors. Self-efficacy did not have the same effect as self-esteem. Results of the current study support the need for preventative education and follow-up support for parents, as well as further resilience research to construct a specific constellation of protective factors and their mechanisms for children who are blind or visually impaired.