ABSTRACT
Objective: Providing care to children who have disability is often a stressful experience, yet spiritual beliefs may help mothers to be patient, tolerant and hard in coping with child-rearing difficulties. This study examined the relationship between the spiritual attitudes of mothers of handicapped children to child-rearing and psychological hardiness
Methods: In a descriptive correlational study, 120 mothers of handicapped children who were referred to the rehabilitation clinics of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences [Rofeideh, Akhavan and Sina clinics] were selected through purposeful sampling and answered the Sanctification of Parents Scale [SPS], and Personal Views Survey [PVS]. Data were analyzed by SPSS-20 software and statistical procedures including Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were used
Results: Results showed that spiritual attitudes to child-rearing are significant predictors of hardiness in mothers
Discussion: It seems like having spiritual attitudes in difficult situations such as providing care for disabled children plays a significant role in mother's patience and hardiness