ADULTS WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION AS SUPPORTS TO THEIR PARENTS - EFFECTSON PARENTAL CAREGIVING APPRAISAL

This study was conducted to determine whether support provided to care givers by their adult children with mental retardation would influence caregiving appraisals. We also examined how severity of disability of the adult child, personal and social resources of the caregiver, and amount of caregiver assistance to the adult with mental retardation in fluenced caregiving appraisals. Using surveys and interviews we collec ted information from 80 primary caregivers on caregiving burden and sa tisfaction and six predictors of burden and satisfaction. Findings ind icate that greater support from the adult child to the caregiver resul ted in greater satisfaction and less burden. Adaptive and maladaptive behaviors and caregiving assistance all predicted caregiving satisfact ion but only maladaptive behaviors predicted caregiving burden.