INFLUENCE OF COUNSELLING ON PARENTS OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES AND AUTISM IN NASARAWA STATE.

The paper examines the influence of counselling on parents of special needs children with learning disabilities and autism in Nasarawa state. The variable under used were psychological feeling, economic demand and social aspect. Three research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research designed was adopted. The population of the study comprises all parents with children with learning disabilities across the three senatorial zones of Nasarawa state all of primary four children with learning disabilities and autism, about fifty of them. The sampling size was manageable based on the population instruments for data collection was questionnaire, it was adopted from Fitz Patrick and Ritchie. Tire research hypothesis guided the experts in validating the instruments. To determine reliability Cronbach Alpha of 0.85 was obtained. The result indicated that there is a significant influence of counseling on psychological feelings, economic demand and social aspect of parents of special needs children. It was recommended that parents should be sensitive, and counseling to have an unbiased attitude towards children with learning disabilities.