Family adaptation: adult sons with long-term physical or mental illnesses

A descriptive study of 62 family members with an outpatient adult son with a long-term physical (8 families) or mental (3 families) illness using multiple methods and multiple family members' perspectives. Family members completed FILE, FIRM, FAM-III. FACESIII, the Progress Evaluation Scale, and the Nottingham Health Profile. Single-item indicators were based on Rolland's (1988) psychosocial typology of illness, Mishel's (1988) components of uncertainty of illness, and selected demographics. On most of the instruments and their subscales, there were few statistical differences. Family members often did not report the same diagnosis. Based on the qualitative data, families coped by "just working with it" or "trying to step back."