The Role of Flexibility in Prediction of The Symptoms of Behavioral Disorders in Educable Mentally Retarded Children in Primary School Mediated with Parenting Styles

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of flexibility in prediction of symptoms of behavioral disorders in educable mentally retarded children in primary school mediated with parenting styles. This study is descriptive correlational research. In this research, 158 mentally retarded students in primary school were selected from two Special Schools in Tabriz using purposeful sampling method. Then, Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach) and Parenting Styles(Baumrind,) were completed by parents, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Berg and Grant ) was done by the subjects using a computer. After discarding 8 illegible questionnaires, the collected data of 150 subjects has been analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares approach. Results of the study showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between flexibility with symptoms of behavioral disorders (P=0.001) and also between the authoritative parenting style and the symptoms of behavioral disorders (P=0.006). Moreover, most parents had an authoritative parenting style (79%). In addition, the results of Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach revealed that flexibility and authoritative parenting style were able to predict the symptoms of behavioral disorders (P=0/001). The results of this study indicate the role of flexibility and authoritative parenting style in the symptoms of behavioral disorders of educable mentally retarded children . Therefore, it is suggested that new therapeutic interventions be designed to rehabilitate flexibility of educable mentally retarded children, and also educational sessions be held for training the parents of educable mentally retarded children about parenting styles