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

Area of Science:

• Developmental Disabilities
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Family Studies

Background:

• Family involvement is crucial for adolescents with developmental disabilities and complex communication needs.
• Adolescents requiring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) often face unique family challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between parental/adolescent characteristics and family functioning.
• To compare family functioning across different frequencies of AAC use in adolescents.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 227 families with adolescents (13-18 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or Down syndrome (DS) using AAC.
• Online survey including the Family Impact of Assistive Technology Scale for AAC (FIATS-ACC).
• Comparison of FIATS-ACC scores across high, moderate, and low AAC usage groups.

Main Results:

• Adolescent communication function was the sole predictor of family functioning.
• Families with high AAC usage reported significantly higher family functioning scores than low- and moderate-usage groups.
• Parental employment/education, parent age, and AAC device type were not significant predictors.

Conclusions:

• Higher frequency of AAC use is associated with better family functioning.
• Findings highlight the need for individualized family interventions for at-risk families.
• Understanding factors influencing family functioning can optimize support for adolescents with complex communication needs.