Empowering Exceptional Children

Empowering Exceptional Children

The Effectiveness of Family Training Based on the Adler–Dreikurs Approach on Parent–Child Relationship and Social Adjustment of Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Document Type : Original Article

Author
mokhtar arefi
Associate Professor, Department of Family and Counseling, Ker.C,. Islamic Azad University, kermanshah, Iran.
10.22034/ceciranj.2026.565632.2014
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of family training based on the Adler–Dreikurs approach on the parent–child relationship and social adjustment of children with intellectual disabilities. This research was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest–follow-up and a control group. The statistical population consisted of parents of elementary school children with intellectual disabilities in Kermanshah city during the year 1404 (2025). From this population, 38 parents were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The research instruments included the Parent–Child Relationship Questionnaire (Gerald, 1994) and the Social Adjustment Scale (Sinha & Singh, 1993). The experimental group received family training based on the Adler–Dreikurs approach in ten 90-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The results indicated that the Adler–Dreikurs intervention led to a significant improvement in the parent–child relationship and a significant increase in the social adjustment of children in the experimental group compared to the control group (p ≤ 0.001). These effects remained stable during the follow-up period (p ≤ 0.001). Based on the findings, the implementation of family training programs grounded in the Adlerian approach is recommended as a necessary component of educational–rehabilitative services and intervention programs in special schools and supportive centers
Keywords
Adler&‌ndash
Dreikurs Approach, Parent Training, Parent&‌ndash
Child Relationship, Social Adjustment, Intellectual Disability
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 16 December 2025
  • Revise Date 09 July 2026
  • Accept Date 16 July 2026