Predicting Adaptive Behaviors of Students with Intellectual Disabilities Based on the Parenting Styles of Their Mothers

The aim of this study is to predict adaptive behaviors of students with intellectual disabilities on the basis of parenting styles. The statistical population of this research includes all mothers of students with intellectual disabilities in Shiraz city, out of which 101 mothers are selected by random cluster sampling. Parenting styles questionnaire (Robinson et al., 1995) is used for measuring parenting styles and Lambert's Adaptive Behavior Inventory is applied for measuring the adaptive behavior of students with intellectual disabilities. The data analysis done by using multiple regression test shows that authoritarian and permissive parenting styles is a significant positive predictor of antisocial, outburst behavior, violent and disruptive, and stereotypic behaviors, isolation and psychological distress, spleeny and socially inappropriate behaviors (p<. /.1). Moreover, the research showed there are no significant relationship between authoritative parenting style and adaptive behaviors of students with intellectual disabilities. According to the finding of this research, designing family training workshops for enhancing knowledge and awareness of parents about parenting styles and their effects on children is necessary so as to improve the adaptive behavior of students with intellectual disabilities by changing the mothers’ attitudes and improving family relationships.