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Positive perceptions and perceived control in families with children with intellectual disabilities: relationship to family quality of life

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Abstract

Researchers in the field of disability are showing a growing interest in assessing the impact of having a child with disabilities on parental perceptions and family functioning. This study explores the relationships between positive perceptions, perceived control, and family quality of life (FQoL) in families of children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID), in order to assess whether positive perceptions and perceived control are predictors of FQoL. The Kansas inventory of parental perceptions was administered to a sample of 327 Spanish families with a child or adolescent with ID completed in order to assess their positive perceptions and perceived control, and the Spanish family quality of life scale (0–18 years) in order to assess FQoL. Linear regression analysis was applied to determine whether positive perceptions and perceived control were predictors of FQoL. Results indicated that families with higher levels of positive perceptions reported greater emotional wellbeing, better health and adaptation to disability, and higher levels of FQoL. Similarly, families with higher levels of perceived control reported better levels of FQoL and greater satisfaction with the services provided for their child. With the exception of employment status, demographic variables had no bearing on these significant relationships. These results may help service providers to develop new intervention strategies for families with children with ID, fostering their positive perceptions and perceived control and ultimately promoting their FQoL.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation under the National R+D+i 2012–2014 (EDU2011-27353).

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Correspondence to Fina Ferrer.

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Ferrer, F., Vilaseca, R. & Guàrdia Olmos, J. Positive perceptions and perceived control in families with children with intellectual disabilities: relationship to family quality of life. Qual Quant 51, 903–918 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-016-0318-1

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