Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Are Indian Parents of Children with Down Syndrome Engaged in the Blame Game?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
The Indian Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To study blame ascription among parents of children with Down syndrome and to study its correlation with sociodemographic factors, parental perception of dysmorphisms and parents’ knowledge about Down syndrome. This is a prospective, observational, non-interventional case control study.

Methods

Interview of biological parents of children with Down syndrome less than 12 y of age was taken. Dysmorphism and parents’ feeling of blame was assessed and graded by Likert’s scale. Controls were parents of age and gender matched children with non-genetic chronic disorders.

Results

During the study period, 50 mothers and 46 fathers of cases and 50 control parents were interviewed. Parents in the study group were older; the mothers were better educated and had more frequent antenatal visits. There was no significant difference in the proportion of parents counseled but genetic counseling was associated with a significantly higher proportion of parents having knowledge about Down syndrome. A higher proportion of parents perceived their child with Down syndrome being dysmorphic. Blame ascription was not significantly different among the two groups and was seen only in a small proportion of parents of cases. When it did occur, it was directed at health professionals.

Conclusions

Blame ascription is not frequent in a cohort of Indian parents of children with Down syndrome even when dysmorphism is perceived by parents. Genetic counseling was associated with better knowledge about Down syndrome in the parents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sheeran T, Marvin RS, Pianta RC. Mothers’ resolution of their child’s diagnosis and self-reported measures of parenting stress, marital relations, and social support. J Pediatr Psychol. 1997;22:197–212.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. O’Connor N, Kotze B, Wright M. Blame and accountability1: understanding blame and blame pathologies. Australas Psychiatry. 2011;19:113–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bennett RL. Genetic counseling. In: Runge MS, Patterson C, eds. Principles of molecular medicine. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Humana Press; 2006. pp. 46–52.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. Arribas-Ayllon M, Sarangi S, Clarke A. Managing self-responsibility through other oriented blame: family accounts of genetic testing. Soc Sci Med. 2008;66:1521–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Hall S, Marteau T. Causal attribution and blame: associations with mothers’ adjustment to the birth of a child with Down syndrome. Psychol Health Med. 2003;8:415–23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hall S, Bobrow M, Marteau TM. Psychological consequences for parents of false negative results on prenatal screening for Down syndrome: retrospective interview study. B Med J. 2000;320:407–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Colah RB, Gorakshakar AC, Nadkarni AH. Invasive and non-invasive approaches for prenatal diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies: experiences from India. Indian J Med Res. 2011;134:552–60.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hall S, Chitty L, Dormandy E, et al. Undergoing prenatal screening for Down’s syndrome: presentation of choice and information in Europe and Asia. Eur J Hum Genet. 2007;15:563–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Bittles AH, Bower C, Hussain R, Glasson EJ. The four ages of Down syndrome. Eur J Pub Health. 2007;17:221–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Julian-Reynier C, Aurran Y, Dumaret A, et al. Attitudes towards Down’s syndrome: follow up of a cohort of 280 cases. J Med Genet. 1995;32:597–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Girisha KM, Sharda SV, Phadke SR. Issues in counseling for Down syndrome. Indian Pediatr. 2007;44:131–3.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hodapp RM, Ly TM, Fidler DJ, Ricci LA. Less stress, more rewarding: parenting children with Down syndrome. Parenting. 2001;1:317–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Damrosch SP, Perry LA. Self-reported adjustment, chronic sorrow, and coping of parents of children with Down syndrome. Nurs Res. 1989;38:25–30.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lakshminarayana P, Ibrahim S, Venkataraman P, Jagatheesan T, Kamala KG. KAP study on mothers of children with Down syndrome. Indian Pediatr. 1991;28:997–1001.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Durmaz A, Cankaya T, Durmaz B, et al. Interview with parents of children with Down syndrome: their perceptions and feelings. Indian J Pediatr. 2011;78:698–702.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Alicke MA. Culpable control and the psychology of blame. Psychol Bull. 2000;126:556–74.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ly TM. Asian American parents’ attributions of children with Down syndrome: connections with child characteristics and culture. Intellect Dev Disabil. 2008;46:129–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Phadke SR. Genetic counseling. Indian J Pediatr. 2004;71:151–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Sanjay Oak, Director (ME and HE) for granting permission to publish the paper.

Contributing

MM conceptualized the study, approved the protocol, analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript, SB recorded and analyzed the data and performed literature search and HS gave intellectual inputs to the study design and protocol.

Conflict of Interest

None.

Role of Funding Source

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Genetic Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, 400012, India

    Mamta N. Muranjan & Sweta R. Budyal

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, 400012, India

    Henal R. Shah

  3. Flat No. 301, Suman Apartments, 16 – B, Naushir Bharucha Road, Tardeo, Mumbai, 400007, India

    Mamta N. Muranjan

Authors
  1. Mamta N. Muranjan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sweta R. Budyal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Henal R. Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mamta N. Muranjan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Muranjan, M.N., Budyal, S.R. & Shah, H.R. Are Indian Parents of Children with Down Syndrome Engaged in the Blame Game?. Indian J Pediatr 80, 560–564 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-012-0888-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-012-0888-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation