THE RELATIONSHIP OF AFFILIATE STIGMA AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING ON PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1164035Keywords:
Affiliate Stigma, Down Syndrome, Psychological Well BeingAbstract
Down Syndrome is a genetic condition caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21, which affects the intellectual and developmental abilities of individuals and presents unique challenges for their caregivers. Parents of children with Down Syndrome often face not only caregiving demands but also social stigma, which may lead to internalized or affiliate stigma. This study aimed to examine the relationship between affiliate stigma and psychological well-being among parents of children with Down Syndrome. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed, with data collected from 100 parents registered with Persatuan Sindrom Down Malaysia (PSDM) across six states via an online questionnaire comprising the Affiliate Stigma Scale (ASS) and the Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWB). Findings revealed a significant negative relationship between affiliate stigma and psychological well-being (r = -0.679, p < .001), indicating that parents who experienced higher affiliate stigma tended to report lower psychological well-being. Significant differences in affiliate stigma were observed according to parental age and household income, with parents aged 26–35 years reporting higher affiliate stigma than those aged 36–45 and 46–55 years, while parents from households earning above RM11,820 reported lower affiliate stigma than those in lower-income groups. No significant differences were found according to employment status, child gender, child age, or parental relationship to the child. These findings indicate that younger parents and parents from lower-income households may require greater psychosocial support to address affiliate stigma and promote psychological well-being. Therefore, targeted group support programmes should be developed to provide these parents with opportunities to share experiences, access peer support, and develop effective coping strategies for managing stigma associated with raising a child with Down Syndrome.
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