Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of positive psychotherapy on depression, parenting efficacy, and parenting stress in mothers of children with developmental disabilities. Total 20 mothers who want to participate in this positive psychotherapy program selected through kindergartens and welfare center for disabled children and organization for their parents located in J city. After these 20 mothers were randomly assigned to 10 in positive psychotherapy group and 10 in the control group, we got agreements in mothers who participated in positive psychotherapy group. Positive psychotherapy program was administered for 8 session. However, 1 mother were dropped out at initial session in treatment group and 1 mother in control group were dropped out too, because we couldn't her get post-test questionnaires. So, we administered pre-test, post-test, 4 weeks follow-up test to mothers of each group. As a result, the results of this study were as follows: depression, parenting stress of treatment group were decrease more than those of the control group, and these effects still maintained at follow-up period. Also, parenting efficacy was increased in treatment group, and this effect still maintained at follow-up period. Finally, the implications and the limitations of this study, and the suggestions for future study were also discussed. (Korean J Str Res 2013;21: 0∼107)

• Keywords: Positive psychotherapy, Mothers of children with developmental disabilities, Depression, Parenting efficacy, Parenting stress