Relationship Maintenance in Family with Special Needs Children

Abstract

A family that has children with special needs must maintain the relationship among its member more than any other family. The extra effort is to consider that the family handles more complex issues than a family with normal children. The divorce risk in the family with children with a special need is high in the first eight years of the marriage, but the risk reduces in the following years. This research aims at finding the Relationship Maintainance in families with children with special needs. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. Data collection technique was done using the interview. The subject of this research is families with children with special needs who study at Maharani Elementary School for Exceptional Children at Paciran village in Lamongan
regency. The result of the study shows that Relation Maintenance requires a positive attitude that includes critics delivery and reaction towards different methods between the couple. The results of this study indicate that in Relationship Maintenance positive attitude behaviors include how to convey criticism and how couples deal with differing views. the behavior of openness involves an open attitude between partners. the guarantee includes mutual support in carrying out work and caring for children. Owned networks include the nuclear family, friendship environment, community environment, and experts. While the division of tasks includes the division of domestic tasks in the family and also tasks in parenting.