Journal on Developmental Disabilities
Le journal sur les handicaps du développement

Abstract

The concept of family environment was explored in parents of children with developmental disabilities (DD) using the Moos & Moos (1981) Family Environment Scale (FES). The sample included 205 mothers and fathers of children with one of five types of DD: Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, Autism, and DD of unknown etiology. There were three age groups (0-5, 6-10, and 11-18) and three levels of severity of DD (mild, moderate, and severe). Parents' reports of their family environment did not differ from those of typical families and there were few group differences. There was, however, an intriguing finding associating increased diagnostic ambiguity with lower levels of family harmony.

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