Abstract
The article examines families raising children with disabilities and the specifics of their psychological and social experience in modern society. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that in the context of the continuing stigmatization of disability, the process of family adaptation is complicated not only by objective difficulties, but also by the influence of stable social attitudes. The aim of the work is to identify the interrelationships between the rejection of a child’s diagnosis, the experience of shame, social stigmatization, the transformation of family relationships and the use of alternative methods of help. The methodological basis of the study was a theoretical analysis of scientific literature, as well as the use of author’s questionnaires aimed at studying public attitudes to disability and parental experience, with subsequent data processing. The results of the study showed that the experience of shame and the pressure of social norms are associated with the rejection of the diagnosis and increased tension in the family system, contributing to conflict, distancing and the use of maladaptive coping strategies. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive consideration of the problem at two levels - intra-family and social, which allows for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of stigmatization and its impact on the family. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the results obtained in the development of psychological support programs for parents, educational work, and measures to reduce the stigmatization of disability in society.