Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Jeff Ricketts

Date

2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Counseling

Committee Chair

Daniel Lustig

Committee Member

Steven Zanskas

Committee Member

Sara Bridges

Committee Member

Yonghong Xu

Abstract

When a child with Down syndrome is born in to a family the special needs of the child, the birth and the reactions of the family members can cause stress to the family system. The family systems characteristics affect how well the family can adjusts to these stressors. Understanding the relationship of the family systems characteristics to stress adaptation can help counselors aid these families as they implement these changes. The objectives of this study were to determine (a) how balanced family cohesion and balanced family flexibility relate to family satisfaction for families with a child with Down syndrome, and (b) how the family coping skills of seeking support from friends and family, accepting stressful events as inevitable and believing they are solvable, attending spiritual services or consulting spiritual leaders, seeking information from professionals about family difficulties, and hoping that problems will eventually resolve themself relate to family satisfaction in this same population. Eighty parents of children with Down syndrome whose child currently resided with the parent completed surveys online. Participating parents were recruited through various online Down syndrome support and advocacy groups. Family satisfaction, family flexibility, and family cohesion were measured using the FACES-IV survey. Family coping skills were assessed using the F-COPES survey. Linear regression analysis indicated that cohesion ratio (p < .001) and flexibility ratio (p = .02) were significant predictors of family satisfaction. Of the five coping subscales only the subscales of reframing (p < .001) and passive appraisal (p < .001) were significant predictors of family satisfaction. Information from this study is then compared to results from other studies. Counseling implications for addressing family satisfaction in terms of the relevant coping skills are presented.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest

Download

Share

COinS