Family functioning among adolescents with developmental disabilities utilizing augmentative and alternative...

Family involvement is critical for adolescents with developmental disabilities and complex communication needs; especially for adolescents requiring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). This study aimed to examine the relationship between parental and adolescent characteristics and family functioning across three groups of families based on the frequency of adolescents' use of AAC.

This cross-sectional study included families of adolescents aged 13 to 18 years with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or Down syndrome (DS) who use AAC. A family consisted of at least one parent or guardian and an adolescent. Families enrolled in the study through online recruitment registries, support organizations, and social media.

In total, 227 families (parent as proxy) completed an online survey, which included the Family Impact of Assistive Technology Scale for AAC (FIATS-ACC) measure. The FIATS-ACC scores across the three usage groups (high, moderate, low) were compared. Parental/adolescent characteristics associated with family functioning included parental employment and education, parent age, adolescent communication function, and type of AAC device. Communication function emerged as the only predictor of family functioning. The mean unadjusted family functioning score for the high-usage group was significantly higher than both the low- and moderate-usage groups.

Findings provide insights into at-risk families and imply the need for individualized family interventions to optimize outcomes.