An investigation of coping skills of parents of children with disabilities: Implications for service providers

Over 100,000 parents a year face the birth of a child with a disability, Th e stresses resulting from that chilli's condition are numerous and ongoing. Parents cope with that stress and crises in their families in numerous way s. To learn of parental coking mechanisms, ethnographic research of parents (N=34) of children with disabilities was conducted. Results indicated that families who were active in church received ministry from the church, whic h led to their ability to cope with stress and have a positive outlook for their child. Service providers who use family-centered planning can utilize and encourage the religious practices of the family as a resource.