The concepts of “prosocial behavior” and “altruism” as psychological characteristics of mothers raising children with Down syndrome

Abstract

The problem of staying socially active without losing the usual way of life with a “special” child in the family has always been and remains relevant. In our country, the number of children with Down syndrome is increasing every year. According to preliminary data from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in Kazakhstan for 3 years (2014-2016) there is an increase in the incidence rate of Down syndrome per 100 thousand children under 14 years of age by 15%. The incidence rate in 2014 was 11.3% per 100 thousand children under 14 years old, in 2015 - 11.1% per 100 thousand children under 14 years old, in 2016 - 13.05% per 100 thousand children under 14 years old. In total, in Kazakhstan, according to preliminary data as of 2017, the number of registered patients diagnosed with Down Syndrome at the age of 0 to 18 years is 3863 persons, of which 707 with a diagnosis established in the first days of life. In most cases, the organizers and employees of organizations supporting parents and families of children with disabilities are mothers of “special” children. In this regard, today in Kazakhstan there are 6 organizations to support children with Down syndrome and their parents. These foundations and organizations popularize pro-social attitudes aimed at providing disinterested assistance to mothers with similar problems or to society as a whole. In this theoretical article, we examine various definitions of prosociality, altruism, and empathy of mothers raising children with Down syndrome.