AGE-RELATED-CHANGES IN STRESS EXPERIENCED BY FAMILIES WITH A CHILD WHO HAS DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS

The hypothesis that stress in families increases as a child with devel opmental delays grows older was evaluated. Mothers with children rangi ng in age from 2 to 18 years were assigned to a preschool, middle chil dhood, or adolescent group and asked to complete the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). Results indicated that Child Domain scores were high for all groups, but Parent Domain scores were within normal limits. The mi ddle childhood group was consistently higher in both domains than eith er the younger or older groups. Degree of handicap was not associated with mothers' stress in the preschool group, but was related to PSI sc ores for both other groups. Behavior problems were highly correlated w ith maternal stress for the middle childhood and adolescent groups (da ta not available for preschool group).