Introduction
Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as specific learning disabilities (SLD) in children, encompass a diverse range of disorders. The presence of various disorders in these children creates a complex clinical presentation (Rameckers et al., 2023). SLD is characterized by significant, unexpected, specific, and lifelong difficulties in acquiring reading, writing, or math skills. The combined type of SLD, combined with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is the most common (Bandla et al., 2017). According to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), boys are two to three times more likely to have learning disabilities compared to girls. Studies by Chordia et al. (2020) and Rutter et al. (2004) support the finding that SLD is more prevalent in boys due to genetic, physiological, and chromosomal differences. A study by Chordia et al. (2020) shows that SLDs have a high prevalence, and many of these children are not diagnosed due to the lack of knowledge among teachers and parents. Additionally, those who have a lower socioeconomic status are more at risk of learning disabilities (Chordia et al., 2020). Furthermore, a study by Bandla et al. (2017) reported a higher prevalence of SLD in the middle socioeconomic class. 
Although cognitive processes are necessary for children’s academic progress, numerous studies indicate that family interactions have a significant impact on the improvement and development of learning processes (Rhoades et al., 2011). The Association of Children with Disabilities also emphasizes the importance of the family in ensuring children’s health and well-being, and experts believe that promoting children’s cognitive and metacognitive skills, as well as involving and educating parents, is meaningful and effective (Kimber et al., 2019). The optimal growth of a child is closely intertwined with the family situation, as the increasing needs of children can contribute to elevated parental stress levels (Vashi et al., 2023). Research on children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including SLDs and ADHD, has found that the quality of family relationships is influential in communication challenges and social interactions (Vashi et al., 2023). Additionally, parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders report higher levels of parental stress (Craig et al., 2016). Disabilities or poor cognitive performance in a child can disrupt family dynamics and lead to emotional distress for parents (Manning et al., 2018). This emotional distress is also evident in the analysis of psychological situations within families with children with disabilities (Banducci et al., 2016). Furthermore, studies have shown that parenting stress is significantly higher among parents of children with SLD compared to parents of typically developing children (Moideen & Mathai, 2018). The various aspects of learning disabilities can have detrimental effects on the adaptation and psychological well-being of families, often resulting in feelings of loneliness, psychological imbalance, aggression, and depression among SLD parents (Mohammadi & Mottaqi, 2022).
According to some research, mothers, compared to fathers, experience more parental stress in the context of parenting. Additionally, in Eastern societies, mothers are primarily responsible for supporting their children’s physical, emotional, and social needs, while fathers have less involvement with children and are more focused on disciplinary roles (Hashemi & Einy, 2021). Preston and Stultz (2018) emphasize the need for researchers in the fields of education and mental health to take a comprehensive and detailed approach to better understand and address the needs of children with SLD. They highlight the importance of educational strategies and services in providing support for these children and their families. Although education and making positive changes in the family are among the most complex therapeutic processes faced by professionals (Sexton, 2019), professionals emphasize the importance of professionals understanding the situations and needs of parents, as well as the dynamics within the family and cultural awareness (Connor & Cavendish, 2018). They argue that professionals require more support to address the challenges faced by parents of children with SLD and to empower parents. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the concept of SLD extensively from the perspective of individuals, such as parents and teachers who have direct contact with affected students (Ögülmüs & Okur, 2021). By identifying factors directly and indirectly related to learning disabilities in children, early support and corrective interventions can be implemented to prevent further issues in both children and their parents (Bandla et al., 2017).
Many children are being identified as late learners and referred to exceptional schools due to a lack of knowledge among educators, parents, and health center staff, which presents a significant challenge for families (Hashemi & Einy, 2021). There is currently no research specifically analyzed the perspectives of parents of children at-risk of SLD in Iran. Therefore, the present study investigates the topic of at-risk children and the related issues concerning their parents in Iranian society. Therefore, the findings of this study can contribute to identifying challenges related to these children and their parents. Furthermore, this study could assist professionals in designing appropriate educational and intervention programs. Accordingly, this study explores the lived experiences of mothers who have encountered challenges related to their child’s poor performance on pre-primary school screening tests and subsequently received a diagnosis of being at risk for learning disabilities. The research seeks to answer the following questions: 1) What are the problems and needs of parents with children who have learning disabilities? and 2) Do parental challenges contribute to predicting or increasing learning disabilities?

Materials and Methods
This study employed the qualitative and phenomenological approach, aimed at deeply exploring a specific phenomenon. Phenomenology centers on understanding a phenomenon in detail through the lived experiences of participants. The essence of phenomenology is to illuminate the participants’ perception of the phenomenon. Descriptive phenomenology uncovers the meanings of a concept or phenomenon from the perspectives of individuals who have experienced it. Phenomenology highlights the individual context, emphasizing that phenomena can carry different meanings depending on the specific context in which they are experienced (Eatough & Smith, 2017). Phenomenological research does not follow a fixed data collection method; instead, it adapts based on the research topic and context. The researchers focused on the mental experiences, perceptions, and meanings that participants attributed to this event.

Study procedure 
In this study, the necessary permissions and coordination were obtained from the University of Isfahan and the Department of Education. The primary objective of this research was to describe and gain a deeper insight into the experiences of mothers whose children faced challenges in the pre-primary screening test upon entering first grade, later diagnosed with learning disabilities. In this study, the perspectives of parents were conducted using a purposeful sampling method and semi-structured and in-depth interviews to gather detailed insights into the participants’ experiences. Interviews were held in secure settings to ensure comfort, lasting 25 min to 40 min, and parents voluntarily agreed to participate by signing consent forms. Key questions explored participants’ feelings, concerns, and actions regarding their children’s learning challenges. Emotional responses and tone were also recorded to provide a deeper understanding of their experiences. The data were transcribed and analyzed to identify emerging themes. Data collection ceased when theoretical saturation was reached after 23 interviews. The participants varied in age, occupation, and education to ensure a broad perspective. A summary of the demographic information of the participants is given in Table 1.



Data analysis
The present study followed a phenomenological approach, and data were organized based on Colaizzi’s (1987) method. The 7-step method includes the following items: collection of descriptions, highlighting and description, understanding the meaning, extraction of themes, formulation, categorization based on similarity, and clustering. The analysis must be conducted in a way that, while preserving the life experiences of the participants, facilitates an understanding of the phenomenon under study. Therefore, the entire interview text was initially examined in detail, and preliminary themes were extracted. Then, through deeper analysis, the themes that were conceptually and meaningfully more related to each other were categorized as sub-themes. In the third stage of the analysis, a specific title was assigned to each cluster of sub-themes, covering all associated sub-themes. These clusters of themes were then labeled as main themes. Qualitative research criteria were used to validate coding. To evaluate the research findings, the member checks and external auditor reviews methods were used according to Lincoln and Guba (1985) criteria, including the following items: 1) Credibility, 2) Transferability, 3) Confirmability, and 4) Dependability (Creswell & Poth, 2016). For this purpose, based on the self-review method of the researcher and independent coders, all four researchers examined and coded the primary data part by part. Additionally, after the analysis, the findings were provided to 3 participants to verify the accuracy. Another criterion was following the reliability criteria of the evaluators and external auditor; the opinions of 2 experts in the field of qualitative research were used. In this research, a total of 6 experts provided their opinions for coding the components. Similarities and differences of opinion were evaluated, and finally, the recommended changes were implemented. The resulting themes were presented in tables as conceptual categories.

Results
To analyze the data and text of the interviews, 94 topics were extracted in the first stage. After analyzing, summarizing, and removing duplicate themes in the initial coding phase, a total of 69 codes were generated. These themes represent the basic problems faced by parents of children who have been diagnosed as at risk for learning problems in the elementary school entrance exam. Moving on to the secondary themes stage, a total of 61 themes resulted from the analysis and were emphasized by the parents. These themes were categorized into classes based on their conceptual and semantic proximity. Finally, in the main coding stage, 6 themes were identified as a result of the analysis. Two main themes are also considered the underlying factors in these problems.
Based on Table 2, these themes were categorized into classes based on their conceptual and semantic proximity. Finally, in the main coding stage, 6 themes were identified as a result of the analysis. Six fundamental challenges included the following items: “Feeling helpless,” “neglect of individual needs,” “fear of the future,” “feeling of defenselessness,” “feeling guilty,” and “lack of feeling competent.” Two main themes also including “weakness in parenting skills” and “emotional dysregulation,” can be the underlying factors in these problems. Figure 1 shows the main challenges of parents and underlying factors in the form of a diagram.





As illustrated in Figure 1, in qualitative research, underlying factors refer to fundamental elements that influence the phenomenon being studied, often emerging through in-depth analysis. These factors can include social, cultural, and economic contexts, psychological influences, and structural or systemic issues, which are typically identified through methods such as interviews and thematic analysis. Understanding these underlying factors in this research was essential, as they provide deeper insights into the complexities of the subject matter and contribute to more nuanced and comprehensive findings.



Discussion
In this research, we explore the lived experiences of mothers who faced the challenge of their child’s poor performance in the pre-primary screening test. These mothers learned that their children were suspected of having learning difficulties, a situation that posed a significant challenge for the parents. It affected their children’s admission to regular schools and created difficulties for the parents in accepting this diagnosis. To answer the first question of this research—“What are the problems and needs of parents with children with learning disabilities?”—Parents of children who perform poorly on preschool screening and are diagnosed as at risk for learning disabilities face specific challenges. Therefore, 6 components describe these parents, which include the following items: Feeling helpless; neglecting individual needs; fear of the future; feeling of defenselessness; feeling guilty; lack of feeling competent. In the following, the components are described in detail.

Feeling helpless
Parents of children with learning disabilities often face a significant gap between their expectations as parents and their child’s abilities. This can lead to a psychological crisis, causing parents to desperately search for solutions and try various options to address the problem. Unfortunately, some parents may not have the necessary coping skills, which can negatively impact their mental health and well-being.

Neglecting individual needs
Feelings of helplessness and an inability to solve the problem, coupled with their child’s challenges, may result in depressive states, causing parents to neglect their needs and overall health. The shock of their child’s difficulties can push these parents to prioritize finding a solution over other aspects of their lives. The worry about future problems and the fear of their child’s educational failure can be incredibly overwhelming. Various factors, such as spending excessive time and energy on the child with a disability, while feeling guilty of the other parent for the child’s disorder, can ignite family tensions and exacerbate the overall problem.

Fear of the future
The challenges faced by parents of children with learning disabilities and their relentless efforts to improve their child’s condition often become their main focus in life. This can lead to sacrificing personal goals and giving all attention to the child, ultimately causing strain and conflicts within the parental relationship. As the needs of these children increase, so does the level of stress experienced by the parents. The parents of children with learning disabilities face challenges, such as societal expectations, concerns about their child’s future, and the influence of teachers, as well as economic problems and a lack of support from relevant institutions.

Feeling of defenseless
Learning disabilities can cause problems and consequences, such as a drop in children’s academic performance, psychological tensions in the family, and the emergence of unpleasant feelings. These issues lead to a decline in interactions, a lack of emotional support, and a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness among family members.

Feeling guilty
Parents often lack enough time and energy for effective social interactions, and establishing social relationships with their children can lead to social and academic comparisons. Some parents try to control their negative emotions by avoiding social interactions and hiding their child’s problems. 

Lack of feeling competent
Weakening of parents’ social relations can result in feelings of failure, being limited due to their child’s differences, isolation, decreased self-respect, and feelings of self-deprecation and worthlessness.
The results of this study align with previous research conducted by Moideen and Mathai (2018), which revealed that parents of children with learning disabilities experience significantly higher levels of stress compared to parents of typically developing children. In addition, the finding of this study aligns with current research by Mohammadi and Mottaqi (2022), which shows that parents of children with learning disabilities experience loneliness, psychological imbalance, aggression, frustration, and depression. Heiman and Berger (2008) also found that mothers of children with learning disabilities express their feelings less and have less friendship and social support. In addition to their child’s problem, parents may experience personality crises and other mood disorders, such as self-blame and feelings of worthlessness (Banducci et al., 2016; Manning et al., 2018). Connor and Cavendish (2018) emphasize the responsibility of professionals to understand the situations and needs of parents, family interactions, and cultural awareness. Through investigating the problems of parents of children with SLD, professionals can improve the situation and empower parents to actively participate and support their children.
The second question of this research was whether parental challenges contribute to predicting or increasing learning disabilities. To answer this question, the findings of this study point to underlying factors. Two main themes refer to underlying factors was the underlying factors identified in this study were the themes of “weakness in parenting skills” and “emotional dysregulation.”

Weakness in parenting skills
Research conducted states that factors such as the type of parental participation during crises and differences in parents’ interpretation and understanding of the problem can affect the development of the problem in children. Therefore, participating in special service and educational programs can be a major concern for parents of children with learning disabilities. Kimber et al. (2019) conducted a study emphasizing the prevention of the spread of disabilities in children and the reduction of negative consequences. The general purpose is to promote social and cognitive development as well as physical health in children. Vashi et al. (2023) found that the parent-child relationship is closely linked to the development of SLDs. Additionally, some factors such as inadequate education, delayed diagnosis, lack of monitoring, and poor parental involvement may contribute to the development of learning disabilities in children. Considering that the SLD group is the most common group of children with special needs, researchers in the field of education and mental health must strive to understand and identify the issues related to these children and provide new educational strategies and services (Ögülmüs & Okur, 2021). Research also suggests that parents of children with learning disabilities may unintentionally neglect these children due to the numerous challenges they face. It is crucial to provide tailored support and resources to these parents to minimize problems and ensure the successful upbringing of their children. Without proper support, there is a higher risk of parental rejection and separation from the family home. The English national survey found that 48% of interviewed parents did not adequately care for their children (Emerson et al., 2005; Ward & Tarleton, 2007). Therefore, it is crucial to establish constructive and useful interactions, build positive relationships, and provide continuous emotional support to gain parents’ trust and achieve positive outcomes (Ward & Tarleton, 2007). Chordia et al. (2020) highlight the importance of awareness among parents and teachers regarding SLD. Ignorance can exacerbate the problem in children; thus, universal screening should be mandatory, and cost-effective educational and support centers should be available to all parents. Furthermore, Chordia et al. (2020) demonstrated that SLD has increased due to a lack of awareness among teachers and parents, resulting in increased family problems.

Emotional dysregulation
The occurrence of any kind of disability or cognitive problems in children causes difficulties in regulating emotions for parents and leads to psychological injuries, affecting family functions, and causing parents to face challenges in regulating their emotions (Banducci et al., 2016; Manning et al., 2018). Emotional regulation plays an important role in controlling stress levels, and parents need to acquire the ability to regulate and manage their emotions to prevent the spread of their child’s problem. The emotional regulation of parents is related to the development of children’s emotional competence and the ability to build relationships with others, thereby reducing stress (Di Giulio et al., 2014; Hartley et al., 2011). Furthermore, Chordia et al. (2020) demonstrated that SLD has increased due to a lack of awareness among teachers and parents, resulting in increased family problems. The existing literature also highlights the complexity in explaining and defining SLD (Brigham et al., 2011; Ögülmüs & Okur, 2021). Raising awareness about SLD disorder and clarifying its real concept can reduce confusion and misunderstandings within families (Ögülmüs & Okur, 2021). Overall, to reduce the problems faced by parents of children with learning disabilities, it is crucial to increase awareness about SLD disorder and provide a clear understanding of the condition.

Conclusion
The individuals with disabilities education act emphasizes the importance of examining the needs of families with children with disabilities, educational programs, and knowledge development. The Association of Children with Disabilities has also shifted towards family-oriented intervention models. Parents of children with learning disabilities face challenges such as societal expectations, concerns about their child’s future, and the influence of teachers, as well as economic problems and a lack of support from relevant institutions. Therefore, various forms of support from society are necessary. In addition, education should be comprehensive and consider the broader social context of the family, including the impact of poor environmental conditions, stress, and social isolation on parenting. The findings of this research can be valuable at both theoretical and practical levels. Further investigations are needed to improve the psychological well-being of families and prevent the development of learning disabilities in Iranian children. The results of this research can also guide experts to provide constructive and effective solutions. This study has aimed to provide more detailed and somewhat specific information regarding the topic of children at risk of SLD. Therefore, the findings of this study can contribute to identifying research challenges related to these children and their parents and serve as a guide for future researchers in exploring other related aspects of this topic. Furthermore, children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents require special educational and developmental programs, and the results of this study could assist professionals in designing appropriate intervention programs.

Study limitations
While this study provides valuable insights into the lived experiences of parents of children at-risk of SLD, several limitations should be acknowledged. Initially, the use of a qualitative research method limits the generalizability of the findings. The sample size of 23 participants, although suitable for reaching data saturation, may not be representative of all parents in similar situations. Therefore, caution should be exercised when applying the findings to other populations. Secondly, the phenomenological approach utilized in this study focused solely on the subjective experiences of the parents and may have overlooked other objective factors. Future research could explore the interplay between subjective experiences and objective factors. The researchers made efforts to include a diverse range of parents, but it is possible that certain perspectives or experiences were missed. Finally, this study focused solely on the challenges faced by parents in this particular situation. It did not explore potential solutions or interventions to address these challenges. Future research could examine the effectiveness of specialized educational programs or coping skills enhancement initiatives in supporting parents in similar circumstances. However, this information is derived from interviews with parents in the Iranian community, which limits the generalizability of the results. Despite these limitations, the findings of this study provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by parents whose children achieve low standards in the national entrance exam. The identified sub-themes and underlying factors offer a basis for future research and the development of targeted interventions to support parents in such situations.

Ethical Considerations

Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran (Code: IR.UI.REC.1400.090). All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were following the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Funding
This study was extracted from the PhD dissertation of Bahar Rashidi, approved by the Department of Psychology and Education of Children With Special Needs, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

Authors' contributions
All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study, data collection and analysis, interpretation of the results, and drafting of the manuscript. Each author approved the final version of the manuscript for submission.

Conflict of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments
The authors sincerely thank every participant who assisted them in conducting this research.




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