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The family system of moderately mentally retarded children
S Shulman1, M Margalit, O Gadish
1School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Insights
This study found that most families of children with moderate intellectual disability have dysfunctional family systems. Parental perception of behavioral disorders varied significantly between different family system types.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Family Studies
- Developmental Disabilities
Background:
- Intellectual disability and behavioral disorders in children can be influenced by family dynamics.
- Understanding family systems is crucial for supporting children with developmental disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To classify family systems of children with moderate intellectual disability using the Reiss Card-Sort.
- To investigate the relationship between family system types and behavioral disorders in these children.
- To examine parental perceptions of behavioral disorders across different family system typologies.
Main Methods:
- Classified 39 families of children with moderate intellectual disability (behaviorally disordered and non-behaviorally disordered) using the Reiss Card-Sort procedure.
- Identified family system typologies: distant sensitive and consensus sensitive.
Main Results:
- 34 out of 39 families (87%) exhibited a faulty family system (distant sensitive or consensus sensitive).
- No direct relationship was found between the type of faulty family system and the presence of behavioral disorders in the child.
- Parental perceptions of their child's behavioral disorder differed significantly between the distant sensitive and consensus sensitive family system types.
Conclusions:
- Family systems, particularly distant sensitive and consensus sensitive types, significantly influence parental perception of behavioral disorders in children with moderate intellectual disability.
- The findings highlight the importance of considering family system dynamics in the adaptation and support of children with intellectual disabilities and behavioral challenges.
Abstract:
Families of 39 moderately mentally retarded children (behaviourally disordered and non-behaviourally disordered) were classified according to the Reiss Card-Sort procedure. Thirty-four out of the 39 families were found to have a faulty family system according to Reiss' typology, distant sensitive or consensus sensitive. Though behaviour disorders in the moderately mentally retarded child were not found to be related to the type of faulty family, parental perceptions of their child's behavioural disorder were different in the distant sensitive and consensus sensitive types. Results are discussed in the context of the interface between the family system and the adaptation of the mentally retarded child.