AFRICENTRIC WORLDVIEW AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AMONG PRIMARY CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN GHANA

ABSTRACT This study examined the extent to which Africentric worldview influence the relationship between stress and psychological health among primary caregivers of children with intellectual disability in Ghana using the mixed methods design. The quantitative phase recruited and assessed 160 primary caregivers using standardized measures assessing Stress, Africentric worldview, Africultural coping, and Psychological health. Results from MANOVA indicated that primary caregivers of children with intellectual disability experience significantly high levels of stress and poor psychological health than primary caregivers of children with sickle cell disease and healthy controls. Results from hierarchical regression analyses on primary caregivers of children with intellectual disability indicated that; first, caring for an intellectually disabled child is associated with high levels of stress which further leads to poor psychological health. Second, spirituality buffered the relationship between stress and anxiety. Third, Africentric values of spirituality and intuition predicted spiritual coping. The qualitative phase adopted semi-structured interviews with 11 primary caregivers of children with intellectual disability to inquire about their stressors and coping strategies. Using thematic analysis, emergent themes included; psychological reactions, caregiving challenges, societal reactions, coping strategies, psychological functioning, knowledge of condition, and perceived cause of disability. Despite the numerous challenges associated with caregiving, primary caregivers of children with intellectual disability reported the significance of their spirituality, family/community support systems, and hope as effective coping strategies in raising their children. Results from both the quantitative and qualitative phases demonstrated the stressful nature of raising a child with intellectual disability and the importance of Africentric values of spirituality and communal support systems in coping. Implications for clinical intervention programmes, research, policy, and psychological education are discussed.