The Impact of Demographic Characteristics and the Positive Perceptions of Parents on Quality of Life in Families with a Member with Intellectual Disability

• Published in: Journal of developmental and physical disabilities 2016-12, Vol.28 (6), p.871-888
• Main Authors: Ferrer, Fina, Vilaseca, Rosa, Bersabé, Rosa Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Children with disabilities; Demography; Families & family life; Family (Sociological Unit); Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability; Multiple Regression Analysis; Original Article; Pediatrics; Perceptions; Psychology; Public Health; Quality of life; Relatives; Variables
• ISSN: 1056-263X; 1573-3580
• DOI: 10.1007/s10882-016-9515-z

Families with children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) have positive perceptions that may raise levels of FQoL. However, little is known about what happens to these positive perceptions and FQoL when the family members with ID reach adulthood. Our main objective was to analyze the predictors of FQoL, incorporating demographic variables and parents’ positive perceptions before and after the family member with ID turns 18. A sample of 861 families who had a family member with ID between 1 and 70 years old completed both the Positive Contributions Scale (PCS) in order to measure their positive perceptions and the Spanish family quality of life scale for under 18-years-old or over 18-years-old in order to assess FQoL. Firstly, a bivariate analysis was conducted to study the effect of demographic variables and PCS scores on FQoL scores. Secondly, variables whose effect was found to be statistically significant in the bivariate analysis were included in a multiple linear regression model to predict FQoL scores. Results indicated that families with higher levels of positive perceptions reported higher levels of FQoL. The predictive analysis of FQoL showed that in both groups of families with a member with ID younger or older than 18 years of age, there was a significant effect from positive perceptions on the reported levels of FQoL, even when the effect of the demographic variables included in the model was eliminated. The present results provide further evidence of the importance of a positive approach toward families with a family member who have ID, reinforcing and broadening the positive perceptions in order to promote their FQoL. The practical implications of these findings are discussed, along with directions for future research.