Disability with Rehabilitation Characteristics as Predictors of School Achievement: Parental Education as a Mediator. A Follow-Up Study in Students with Intellectual Disability in Uj-jain and Shajapur Districts of Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

Background: This study examined the relation among family characteristics, school achievement and student’s disability with rehabilitation characteristics in schooling. A dimensional approach was used, that is, the scores obtained by functional assessment checklists used for assessment of performance in all the study settings was considered as continuous variable. Quantification of the other two set of variables in terms of score was also done. Of special interest in this study was whether family characteristics contribute more importantly to the prediction of school achievement than student’s disability with rehabilitation characteristics. Methods: The research was conducted among children (n=206) with intellectual disability receiving rehabilitation services in centers run by a NGO in two districts of Central India. Results: Results indicated that family characteristics made a smaller contribution to school achievement than student’s disability with rehabilitation characteristics. We found that nonintact families and less-educated parents risk having low academic achievements for PwID. The regression analyses indicated that regularity to the schools and associated disabilities were related to school grades and that this relation was mediated through parental education. Conclusions: Irrespective of student’s disability with rehabilitation characteristics, studies show that parent's education is beneficial for school achievement of PwID. Result emphasis on systematically designed school and family partnership activities for PwID.

Keywords

• Intellectual disability
• Mental retardation
• Special education
• Parental education
• Rehabilitation