الملخص الإنجليزي
The aim of research was to identify the counseling needs of families with disabled children in Albatina region in the Sultanate of oman, and to find out whether these needs differ with regard to the childs age ,sex, and type of disability. The research sample included 300 participants of disabled childerns mothers and fathers ( auditory , visual , motor , and mental disabilities ) in Albatina region. The age range of the children was 3 - 13 years old . In order to attain the research goal, the Scale of the Counseling Needs for Families with Disabled Children developed by Alsamadi and Asartawi ( 1997 ) was utilized . The scale consisted of 60 items divided among 6 dimensions. The scale has acceptable levels of validity and reliability, and has been adapted by the researcher to suit the omani culture . The reliability for the scale was obtained through the Alpha - Chronobach method , whereas the validity was obtained by calculating the scales face validity . Statistical analysis utilized the Statistical Package fo Social Sciences (SPSS ) for calculating means and standard deviations, and performing Three-Way Analysis of Variance. Results showed the counseling needs of the parents with disabled childern were arranged and prioritized as follows : financial need, the need for information regarding societal resources , rehabilitation need, support need , social need, and psychological need . Results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences on the social and psychological need dimensions with regard to age , sex , and type of disability. As for the dimensions of the need for intormation regarding societal resoureces, the need for support, and the financial need, results showed that the parents of visually impaired childern have higher needs than the parents of childern with motor disabilities in the 3 - 6 age group. Results also showed significant differences of the need for rehabilitation dimension that is attributable to gender and disability type . The needs of parents of male disabled children were shown to be higher than those of parents with famale disabled children. Results have been interpreted in light of the literature reviewed and previous studies.
