Vol.

II (LXIV)
No. 1/2012

147 - 152

Adults with disabilities actualities and parents attitude

Alina M rg ri oiu*
Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, Bucuresti Blvd., 39, Ploiesti, 100680, Romania

Abstract
Although there has been a series of improvements concerning the legislative and services level for
adults with disabilities, we have noticed a number of obstacles in their social and professional
integration. In this context, we have undertaken an investigation with reference to the attitude of
parents towards adults with disabilities (difficulties, social benefits and support services, their
opportunities for social and professional integration). An important finding of our research is that,
unfortunately, most of the investigated parents have a hyper protection attitude toward adults with
disabilities. In order to improve the quality of life for adults with disabilities, our study proposes
reconsidering families attitude and possible new solutions for their social and professional integration.
Keywords: disability; attitude; services; social and professional integration

1. Introduction
In Romania, one of the population categories most exposed to poverty, abuse,
vulnerability, marginalization and social exclusion is that of persons with disabilities,
whose number has known a significant increase after 1990, from 74 000 persons in
1992 (since the first data were available) to over 630 000 people in the late 2008,
meaning an increase of almost nine times. (Preda, 2009, p. 209) Compared with other
countries, the poverty risk for people with disabilities remains present even if they
become employed, because the educational and vocational training allows them
access to low paid jobs, which sometimes do not cover their own needs. Another
argument to justify the degree of poverty of persons with disabilities is given by the
reduced value of their salary, which in January 2009 represented (cf. G.D. 1665/2008)
49% of national gross minimum wage (202 RON salary + 91 RON additional budget
for people with severe disabilities). In addition, in most cases a personal assistants
salary is added (a new occupation introduced by Law 448/2006), in the amount equal
to the minimum wage. Therefore, the amount of aid and benefits payable to
individuals with disabilities is situated at nearly half the minimum wage.
Lack of job or low pay disability are harder to bear, causing damage to the
individual and family welfare.
In this situation, the adults with disabilities can feel the phenomenon of alienation /
human alienation expressed by social maladjustment, the disruption of relationships
with others, the retreat into the privacy area. Such social phenomena are not new in
social sciences, but at present the meanings are saturated by coupling with other terms
or acquiring other meanings. For example, the concept of social exclusion is oversized
by thematic associations with different terms such as marginality, otherness, sealing,
dispossession, deprivation etc. (Silver, 1995). The theme of human alienation has
been developed by several authors in the literature, as J.-J. Rousseau, Marx, Fr.
Nietzsche, J. Habermas, but the purpose of the current approaches differs: the
excluded, the rejected, the deviant, meaning the alternative figure, is no longer a
clandestine and an illegitimate of the society. Its place is within society and nobody
* Corresponding author:
E-mail address: alinapetrescu1@yahoo.com

Alina M rg ri oiu /Journal of Educational Sciences & Psychology

can expel it under the motif of non resemblance with the conventional culture figures,
legalized by rules and laws, and so no one can arbitrarily condemn him. (Neam u,
2003, pp. 514-515). In this paper, our attention is focused on deinstitutionalized adults
with disabilities from our county, which, according to statistics from the General
Department for Social Assistance and Child Protection Prahova website, are more
compared with adults from care institutions for disabled people:
Table 1. Number of disabled adults deinstitutionalised and institutionalised from
the County Prahova by degrees of disabilities, 2011
Degrees of
Deinstitutionalised
Institutionalised
Disabilities
disabled adults
disabled adults
Physical
4150
15
Somatic
8073
15
Auditory
1005
2
Visual
4823
18
Mental
3234
587
Psychic
8599
393
Associated
1764
91
AIDS
217
2
Rare diseases
70
4
TOTAL
31935
1127
(General Department for Social Assistance and Child Protection Prahova, www.copilprahova.ro)

From the deinstitutionalized adults, there are 16611 from the urban area and 15324
from the rural area, most of them having a pronounced degree of disability:
Table 2. Number of deinstitutionalized adults with disabilities
from the County Prahova by level of disabilities, 2011
Level
Deinstitutionalised
of Disabilities
disabled adults
Profound I
10046
Severe II
19021
Moderate III
2856
Mild IV
12
TOTAL
31935
(General Department for Social Assistance and Child Protection Prahova, www.copilprahova.ro)

The presence of adult with disability in a family may change the family relations.
The parents attitudes may be various and contradictory: acceptance rejection;
overprotection neglect. The professionals must appreciate the significance of this
event for parents and other family members. Often, the parents become depressed and
angry when facing the unrecoverable and they live periods of frustration, fear, guilt,
disappointment and uncertainty. They even need therapy, professional and
psychological support.
2. Research Methodology
2.1. Purpose of study
The research main purpose was to investigate the perceptions and the attitudes of
parents towards adults with disabilities, social benefits and support services and their
opportunities for social and professional integration, in order to find solutions to
improve the quality of life of those with disabilities and their families.
2.2. Research Organization Procedure and Participants
Our research has taken place during 2011, in Prahova County, on 20 parents who
take care of their children that have become adults with disabilities, aged between 20

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and 56 years old, with various diagnoses: spastic tetra-paresis, Down syndrome,
blindness, autism, progressive muscular dystrophy, severe hearing loss, mental
disability.
In the batch composition of subjects, 6 of the parents of the adults with severe
disabilities have become professional personal assistants.
Before having them actually involved in our investigation, all participants were
informed about our studys purpose and they have been consulted about their
agreement to participate.
2.2. Methods
As our study was an investigative one, we have considered that the most
appropriate methods for us are individual interview and documents analysis (reports,
legislative documents, statistics etc.).
We have questioned our participants to individual interview about the following
aspects:
Parents attitude towards the adults with disabilities;
Benefits and support services provided for adults with disabilities;
Social and professional integration of adults with disabilities.
3. The Analysis and Interpretation of the Research Results
3.1. Attitude of parents towards adults with disabilities
Following data analysis and interpretation of the interview addressed to parents, the
answers to questions What do you think about your child, who has become an adult
(with disabilities)? and What are your reactions when your child faces difficulties?
show that the prevailing attitude towards adults with disabilities is hyper protection.
Although, most of the times, parents confess that they have negative feelings towards
their childs disability (depression, anger, frustration, fear, guilt, disappointment,
uncertainty etc.), they tend not to show the true mental state they are in, considering
that they must protect them and create a harmonious and secure family environment.
For 50 % of the parents, quiet family life, with few social contacts (we watch TV
together, we clean the house, we go to church) is best suited for adults with
disabilities. Unfortunately, they do not realize that adults with disabilities have needs
similar to normal people: to socialize, to feel useful, to be acknowledged and
appreciated socially etc.
Parents who have taken courses to become professional personal assistants for their
children have a more appropriate attitude of acceptance towards the disability and
stimulate their independence.
The hyper protective attitude of parents is determined by false representations about
the capabilities and opportunities for adults with disabilities to be independent, to
integrate socially and professionally, to start a family and live a normal life. From
their point of view, the biggest blame for the harsh, ugly, depressing, poor life of
the individuals with disabilities goes to the state, and by that they mean the authorities
responsible for their protection.
None of the parents are aware that hyper protection attitude towards adults with
disabilities is in their disadvantage, because it makes them dependent on their help,
minimizing the distance to an independent and normal life. Parents are those who
guide the whole life of adults with disabilities during their educational, personal,
social and professional route, they choose and decide for them, because of their
inability, helplessness and bewilderment.
In this situation, adults with disabilities, either because of their families who choose
an exaggerated form of protection or of fear of confrontation with the community,
choose to marginalize and even stigmatize themselves.
A first difficulty in social and professional integration of adults with disabilities,
which we think causes frustration and even aggression on their part, concerns the lack
of independence and personal initiative, because they are dependent on their parents.

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3.2. Benefits and support services provided for adults with disabilities
All parents investigated have confirmed that the adults with disabilities they have in
their care benefit from all social benefits provided by the law in the special protection
area: monthly allowance (202 RON for adults with profound disabilities, 166 RON for
adults with severe disabilities), complementary personal budget (91 RON for adults
with profound disabilities, 68 RON for adults with severe disabilities, 33.5 RON for
adults with moderate disabilities), free public transport for adults with profound and
severe disabilities and their careers, free long-distance transport within 12 return
ticket per calendar year (for adults with profound disabilities and their carers) and 6
return ticket per calendar year (for adults with severe disabilities), gratuity to vignette
for adults who have disability adapted cars, certificates for County Health Insurance
Fund, approvals to hire personal assistants for people with profound disabilities by
Social Assistance. What bothers the parents so much is that they have to return each
year for their childs evaluation by the Assessment Commission.
In terms of the support services provided to the disabled adults, parents especially
mentioned granting of medical and educational services and less information,
guidance, assessment, recruitment and monitoring of the adult with disabilities
employed in the labour market. The investigated participants believe that the support
received from public services is reduced to filling out documents (numerous,
difficult to fill, and you have to walk far to solve the problem) and providing
financial benefits and facilities according to the law.
The biggest complaint is the lack or insufficient number of social services, culture
and leisure facilities for adults with disabilities and information and counselling
services, guidance and professional integration, providing medical services at home,
meal at home or domestic helpers.
In spite of the growing number of NGOs and social educational activities, to
facilitate the professional integration of people with disabilities, only 40% of adults
with disabilities benefit from these services. Many parents are either not informed,
because the selection board does not direct them to the services provided by NGOs or
professionals do not trust these NGOs. For example, in Prahova County, one of the
NGOs is Motivation Foundation, which in 2009 developed labour market placement
services for persons with physical disabilities who can and want to work. The
Motivation Foundation develops these services through two new projects aimed at
employing adults with disabilities, as well as making them aware of all factors on the
labour market and the community regarding their abilities, rights and social benefits
of participation in community and labour market.
As a general remark, knowledge about social services and protection of persons
with disabilities is generally low among their parents.
3.3. Social and professional integration of adults with disabilities
In terms of professional integration, although there have been some legislative
improvements, out of 20 adults with disabilities, only 4 are employed, and they have
moderate disabilities. At the societal level, the adults with disabilities who wish to
engage in employment may apply to the National Employment Agency; here they can
receive professional guidance and advice in Professional Counselling Centres. Even if
this service exists, investigated parents believe that very few jobs are appropriate for
the needs of adults with disabilities and that the support services from the working
place need to develop, because they cannot adapt to conditions, to the working
program requirements or malice on the part of colleagues.
Research results show that the main difficulties encountered by disabled adults in
social and professional integration are:
a) personal: lower level of personal autonomy; no qualifications or low
qualifications; lack of working experience, behavioural disorders; low self-esteem;
poor social skills;
b) family: hyper protection attitude or an inhibitory role of the family in framing
the individual on the labour market; fear of losing financial benefits granted by law;

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c) social: reduced social acceptance due to prejudices and stereotypes about

disabled people; limited job opportunities; unsafe and inadequate working conditions;
low level of awareness / education for employees on the matter of employing adults
with disabilities; underestimation of capacity by colleagues; the low pay offered.
Unfortunately, 60% of the investigated parents do not encourage social and
professional integration of their children. They ignore their needs (to socialize, to feel
useful, to be acknowledged and appreciated socially etc.) and, most seriously, do not
accept friendships with people with disabilities or marrying a disabled person.
Finding a job is seldom based on the adults with disabilities own initiative: I tried
once, they told me to make an application, but they didn't call me.
The current legislation in line with European documents indicates the importance of
direct measures to increase the integration of disabled person in employment and in
education and the range of care and recovery. For instance, in terms of professional
integration, Law no. 448/2006 on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities states as measures to encourage their employment by
establishing a rate of 4% for institutions with fewer than 50 employees, by means of
tax incentives and engaging in protected forms (workshops or protected units) that
benefits from the aforementioned financial incentives. The effects of incentives on
labour market participation of disabled persons through the facilities provided, had
repercussions since 2004. However, the employment rate of disabled people in the age
group 15-64 years slightly exceeded 6% in 2007, more than 93% of people with
disabilities being unemployed. (Preda, 2009, p. 219) Even if employers of persons
with disabilities have rights (see Law no. 448/2006, Article 83), it seems that they are
not willing to integrate them professionally, opting instead to pay the penalties
provided by law for their unemployment. From the analysis of scientific, legal and
statistical documents results that professional integration of persons with disabilities is
hampered by prejudices and stereotypes about their employment opportunities,
resulting in rejection and failure.
4. Conclusions and recommendations
The current study shows that the hyper protective attitude of parents towards adults
with disabilities can stop their social and professional integration. We can also add:
limited job opportunities, unsafe and inadequate working conditions, the low pay
offered, low level of awareness for employees on the matter of employing adults with
disabilities, reduced social acceptance due to prejudices and stereotypes about
disabled people.
Also, the Assessment Commission is mainly limited to the annual evaluation of
adults with disabilities, without guiding them and their families towards public or
private social services, without elaborating together personalised intervention plans.
Also, the services currently offered to adults with disabilities and their families do not
fully satisfy the acute need for information, counselling and support.
The research results reveal the necessity to change the parents attitude: from hyper
protection to acceptance, based on independence, trust and respect for the adults
capacities and needs.
Practically, life of adults with disabilities is governed by many restrictions,
constraints, limitations, external guidance from family or society. They are forced to
play only passive roles and lives of disabled people are led by those without
disabilities.
In order to support the life of adults with disabilities and their families, we suggest:
- Public awareness and disabled persons awareness on their abilities and rights;
- Ensuring accessibility of information and communication environment for adults
with disabilities and their families;
- Developing social, culture and leisure services for adults with disabilities;
- Providing part-time jobs for adults with disabilities or jobs that promote
traditional crafts or employment at home;
- Monitoring and providing post-employment counselling services to identify
problems and difficulties of adults with disabilities employed;

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- Enabling the possibility of supported employment (Beyer et al., 2004) which

involves workplace skills training, professional support from a colleagues, aids
measures and adaptations to ensure the successful practice of the profession and its
associated social conventions.
- Enhance the promotion of an organizational culture inclusion of people with
disabilities among companies;
- Encouraging and advising companies to comply with legal provisions on the
employment of persons with disabilities.
In conclusion, the stimulation of such a set of measures, in order to popularize the
needs of adults with disabilities, could lead to the improvement of their quality of life.
References
1.
2.
3.
4.

Beyer, S., Hedebouw, G., & Samoy, E. (2004). LABOr Project: Reflections on Good Practice in
Vocational Training and Employment for People with Learning Disabilities,
www.hiva.be/docs/rapport/R931b_EN.pdf
Neam u, G. (2003). Tratat de asisten social . Ia i: Polirom.
Preda, M. (2009). Riscuri i inechit i sociale n Romnia, Ia i: Polirom.
Silver, H. (1995). Reconceptualising social disadvantage: Three paradigms of social exclusion,
Geneva: International Institute for Labour Studies, Social Exclusion: Rhetoric, Reality,
Responses, United Nations Development Programme.

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