RELATIONS BETWEEN FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND ADJUSTMENT OUTCOMES IN YOUNG-ADULTS WITH SPINA-BIFIDA

Thirty-two young adults with spina bifida completed a questionnaire (F amily Environment Scale) assessing their perceptions of family social environment while growing up, Additionally, subjects responded to a st ructured interview addressing their current employment status, residen tial situation, level of community mobility, and extent of social acti vity, Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess the re lation between family environment and adjustment as a young adult, Wit h this limited sample, results indicated that perceived family environ ment, explained variance in employment, community mobility, and social activity as an adult, even beyond that explained by lesion level and intelligence, Regression coefficients showed positive relations betwee n perceived family encouragement of independence and achievement and y oung adult outcomes, In contrast, perceived moral/religious emphasis o f the family and degree of family involvement with intellectual/cultur al activities evidenced negative relations with the measures of young adult adjustment.