The Role of Gender of Children with Intellectual Disability and their Parents in Marital Intimacy in Southern India

In low-income countries where gender bias is prevalent, the gender of a child with intellectual disability may impair marital intimacy. This study explores that effect, together with gender differences in parental perceptions of marital intimacy. Twenty-three pairs of parents of children with intellectual disability were divided into two groups according to child gender. The Intimate Bond Measure was used to study the parents’ relationship. Intimacy between parents of girls with intellectual disability was significantly impaired compared with parents of boys with intellectual disability. Intimacy between parents continued to be impaired significantly after controlling for the confounding effect of challenging behaviours. Within the dyads, mothers and fathers did not significantly differ in perceived intimacy. This highlights the importance of assessing marital intimacy among parents of girls with intellectual disability, since impaired marital intimacy may be managed effectively with psychological interventions.