A Comparison between the Early Maladaptive Schemas of Mothers of Exceptional Children and Mothers of Normal Children

Introduction: The birth of a child is a pleasant process for parents, although it is associated with a lot of trouble and discomforted. Despite the difficulties, the hope of the child being normal and healthy usually creates a sense of confidence in them and they accept their child. However, as soon as they become aware of their child's disability, all their wishes and hopes turn into disappointment and then problems begin. The purpose of the present study was to find an answer the question of whether there is a difference between the early maladaptive schemasof mothers with exception to children and those with normal children. Methods and Materials: The sample of this study was selected randomly and consisted of 87 mothers of exceptional children (29 mentally disabled educable children, 28 blind and 30 deaf children), and 30 mothers of normal children, attending elementary schools in saveh. The instrument utilized was Young early maladaptive questionnaire and a causal comparative design was employed. Results: Obtained revealed that on the whole, there is a significant difference between mothers of exceptional children and those of normal children (p<.01). Group comparisons showed that having a mentally disabled child affects the maladaptive schemasof a mother more adversely than having a blind or a deaf child. Discussion: The study revealed that schemasof mothers of exceptional children is maladaptivethan the mothers of normal children. Among the three groups of mothers studied, mothers of mentally disabled children have more maladaptive schemas.