STRESS AND ADAPTATION IN FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH VISUAL DISABILITIES

Little research is available on families of children with visual impai rments. The authors examined stress and coping in a sample of 130 fami lies (experimental group) of visually impaired children who responded to a parent questionnaire and the Family Environment Scale (FES). A co ntrol group of 78 parents responded to FES only. Findings revealed tha t the experimental group experienced various stressors such as future concerns, financial concerns, concerns about services, and concerns ab out the social acceptance of the child. These families were less invol ved in intellectual and cultural activities and wed less structure and organization than did the controls. In coping, many families wed vari ous formal and informal sources of support as well as personal coping strategies. Implications for practitioners and social service provider s are discussed.