Meaningfulness of Parents Living with Children Mental Retardation

ABSTRACT

Hanifah, Aminah Permata Ummu. 2009. Meaningfulness of Parents Living with
Children Mental Retardation. Skripsi. Psychology Faculty of Islamic State
University of Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang.
Keywords: Meaning of Life, Mental Retardation

Tragic experience of having a child with mental retardation with the parents,
both father and mother, in appreciation meaningless. The feelings of sadness,
disappointment and blame themselves that prolonged, and even refused to state
the child lives part of parents coloring. This shows the unpreparedness of parents
in accepting the reality that can not be avoided; having a child with mental
retardation, which is also influence the lives of parents as a whole, especially in
the meaningfulness of parents life, both father and mother. This study aims to
describe the meaningfulness of life of parents, both father and mother, who has a
child with mental retardation.
This research is a subject which husband and wife are parents of children
with mental retardation. Research methods used were observation and interviews.
In observations, this research uses participant observation, overt and natural.
Observation tool used is anecdotal. In the interview, types of interviews used the
free guided interviews (semi-structured interviews).
This study uses qualitative research types with narrative approaches. This
study tells the life of the subject and the significance of his life as parents of
children with mental retardation in sequence from the beginning, middle and end
based on the data obtained. Early stage focused on the tragic experience and no
significant appreciation of the state of his subject. Focused on the middle stage of
self-understanding and discovery of meaning and purpose in life, including how
and the subject in it. The final stage focuses on the discovery of meaning and
meaningful appreciation.
The results of this study indicate that both subjects could change the
reception of the reception of a meaningless meaningful, but the pattern of their life
is not the same significance. Meaningfulness of life patterns originated from first
subject's tragic experience does not lead to significant appreciation then
understanding of self emerged, so to find meaning and purpose of life. This
discovery led to activities directed to fulfill the meaning of life, and began
changing attitudes.
Meaningfulness of life patterns originated from the second subject which
led to the tragic experience of meaningless reception, then emerged and changing
self-understanding attitude. After that, the second subject find meaning and
purpose of his life and directed activities to fulfill the meaning and purpose of life,
and make his-self to self commitment in fulfilling the meaning of life.
On the other hand, the methods used both subjects in the process of finding
meaning in life is personal insight, positive action, intimate relationships (social
support), deepening of the three values (the value of experience, value
appreciation, and value being the value), and worship.