Abstract
This study addresses the dearth of research on families of children with serious emotional disturbances (SEDs) by examining parents’ perceptions of their families’ resources and stressors. Parent and/or guardian responses on the Family Inventory of Resources and Stressors (FIRST) whose children were receiving treatment for SEDs (n = 80) were compared to those with children without SEDs (n = 48). One-way ANCOVA analyses revealed that, when controlling for income and education level, families of children with SEDs reported significantly greater stress levels than families of children without SEDs, but both groups reported similar levels of resources. The principles derived from this study provide critical information for treatment providers and researchers seeking to develop an in-depth understanding of the resources and stressors of families of children with SEDs so as to more effectively collaborate with them in treatment planning.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Rod DiMotta and the staff at The Astor Home for Children for their assistance in collecting data and their longstanding commitment to serving children with SEDs and their families.
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Corliss, B.A., Lawrence, E.C. & Nelson, M.A. Families of Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances: Parent Perceptions of Family Resources and Stressors. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 25, 271–285 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-008-0126-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-008-0126-0