More positive or less negative? Trends in research on adjustment of families rearing children with developmental disabilities

We reviewed family adjustment research over a 20-year period to determine w hether it reflected less negative and/or more positive conceptions of famil ies rearing children with developmental disabilities. Two judges, unaware o f the purpose of the study, independently rated 60 articles, 20 from each o f 3 time periods: 1971-1975, 1983, and 1993. Results indicated that althoug h negativity declined from the 1970s to 1983, there was no concomitant incr ease in positivity. In our conclusion we emphasize that the changes were re al, but small, and that most investigators still write about family adjustm ent in a predominantly negative tone.