Respite Care, Stress, Uplifts, and Marital Quality in Parents of Children with Down Syndrome.

Parents of children with disabilities are at risk for high stress and low marital quality; therefore, this study surveyed couples (n = 112) of children with Down syndrome (n = 120), assessing whether respite hours, stress, and uplifts were related to marital quality. Structural equation modeling indicated that respite hours were negatively related to wife/husband stress, which was in turn negatively related to wife/husband marital quality. Also, wife uplifts were positively related to both wife and husband marital quality.

Sibling Experiences: Living with Young Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Like other young people, those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an impact on siblings in both positive and negative ways. Research indicates positive attributes include maturity and responsibility; positive self-concept; less quarrelling and competition; admiration for the person with ASD; and satisfactory sibling relationships. Negative attributes include fear of frightening or violent behavior, decreased sibling intimacy, and social and emotional difficulties.

Respite Care for Single Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Single mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders are rarely studied, yet they may experience unique stressors. Researchers asked 122 single mothers to complete questionnaires concerning respite care, daily hassles/uplifts, depression, and caregiver burden. More than half (59.

Positive parenting of children with developmental disabilities: a meta-analysis.

Although a large body of literature exists supporting the relationship between positive parenting and child outcomes for typically developing children, there are reasons to analyze separately the relevant literature specific to children with developmental disabilities. However, that literature has not been synthesized in any systematic review. This study examined the association between positive parenting attributes and outcomes of young children with developmental disabilities through meta-analytic aggregation of effect sizes across 14 studies including 576 participants.

Perspectives of adolescent siblings of children with Down syndrome who have multiple health problems.

Authors of this qualitative descriptive study interviewed 21 adolescent siblings of children with Down syndrome (DS) who also had additional health problems rated as requiring extensive care by parents. Analysis revealed positive/negative aspects of the experience; however, participants emphasized the positive rather than negative experiences and focused more on the fact that the child had DS rather than health problems requiring additional care. Most said they would not change anything about their experience and did not believe the child with DS would ever live independently.

Religiosity, spirituality, and marital relationships of parents raising a typically developing child or a child with a disability.

In order to discover if differences or relationships exist between religiosity, spirituality, and marital relationships, 111 parents raising a child with a disability (CWD) and 34 parents raising typically developing children independently completed self-report questionnaires assessing religiosity, spirituality, and marital relationships. Parents raising typically developing children scored higher on private and public religiosity and marital satisfaction than parents raising a CWD; mothers scored higher on religiosity variables than fathers. Mothers' ratings of spirituality and family type (disability or typically developing child) predicted their ratings of marital conflict.

Type 1 diabetes: children and adolescents' knowledge and questions.

Aim: This paper is a report of a study conducted to describe what children and adolescents who have type 1 diabetes know and want to know about the disease.

Background: Research indicates that young people's knowledge of diabetes may minimize their health complications, because with greater knowledge they may engage in more effective management practices and adherence.

Methods: In this qualitative study, a purposive sample of 58 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes were interviewed in 2005 about what they knew and wanted to know about their disease.

Images of life: siblings of children with Down syndrome.

This qualitative, descriptive study used photography to capture important symbols in the lives of 16 siblings living in families raising a child with Down syndrome (CWDS). Content analysis revealed two categories: people/nonpeople. The people category included family members and friends, whereas the non-people category included objects, animals, and buildings.

Being a sibling.

The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study was to explore the meaning of being a sibling using Parse's human becoming perspective. Twelve children between 5 and 15 years of age with a younger sibling with a cleft lip and palate or Down Syndrome participated. Through semi-structured interviews and the use of art, children talked about their experiences.

Multicultural issues in autism.

The professional literature provides ample evidence that individuals with autism exhibit a myriad of unusual social, communication, and behavioral patterns of interactions that present challenges to their families and service providers. However, there is a dearth of quality works on multicultural issues regarding autistic spectrum disorders. In this article, we explore issues surrounding autism and multiculturalism, with the intent not to provide answers but to raise questions for further examination.

"This is a Spiritual Experience": perspectives of Latter-Day Saint families living with a child with disabilities.

The presence of a child with disabilities elicits a variety of stress demands on the family. Religion is recognized as a powerful personal, family, and cultural variable. However, little is known about the influence of religion in dealing with disability among families within particular religious groups.