Development of parent–child relationships in families raising children with disabilities and their influence on the emergence of entitlement attitudes in children

Abstract

Introduction. This article examines the influence of parent–child relationships in families raising children with developmental disabilities on the emergence of entitlement attitudes in children. The study aimed to identify changes in parental attitudes toward a child with disabilities as the child transitions from kindergarten to school. It is hypothesized that when school problems arise, parents may attempt to take the solution of these problems upon themselves, thereby fostering entitlement attitudes in the child.

Materials and Methods. This work continues our 2022 study, which examined the social determinants of entitlement attitudes in children. The 2022 study employed the Parent–Child Relationships Questionnaire (A. Ya. Varga, V. V. Stolin). To assess entitlement attitudes, parents were surveyed using the Identification of Victim Behavior method (A. E. Simanovsky), which, in addition to entitlement attitudes, assessed the child’s level of dependence and activity. In 2025, a follow-up assessment of 29 primary school children with developmental disabilities and their families was conducted using the same methods. The same indicators were also measured in 11 typically developing children for control purposes.

Results. The study identified changes in parents’ attitudes toward their children and in the level of entitlement attitudes. All parents demonstrated greater emotional acceptance of their children. It was also found that parental control in families of children with developmental disabilities, in contrast to typically developing children, had increased significantly. The entitlement attitudes of children with developmental disabilities also increased compared to three years earlier. It has been proven that parental disbelief in their child’s abilities, overprotection, and control contribute to increased entitlement attitudes and foster a sense of dependence on adults.

Conclusions. The study results can be applied in working with parents to create an adequate image of their child’s future and to identify achievable goals for developmental and remedial work. Such work should result in greater parental trust in the child, reduced dependence on adults, and decreased child entitlement attitudes.