Time Perspective in Counseling Parents of Children with Developmental Disorders

The study aims to explore the role of time perspective in improving the quality of life for parents of children with developmental disorders and to derive recommendations for clinical practice and educational institutions. Short versions of the Zimbardo and Boyd (1999) Time Perspective Inventory, Big Five Inventory (John & Srivastava 1999), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (Skevington et al. 2004) were used. The study sample consisted of 251 parents of children with autism spectrum disorders, genetic syndromes, intellectual disability, and motor disorders (74.5% mothers; age range: 25 – 61 years; M=40.82; SD=6.61) in a Bulgarian socio-cultural context. It was established that time perspective mediates the effect of personality traits on quality of life, and this construct can be helpful in planning interventions for these parents.