Abstract:

Researchers investigated the relationship between parental attributions for children's disabilities and the quality of parent-child relationships, in both the U.S. and Pakistani families. Parents of children with disabilties identified potential causes of the disability and rated their parent-child relationships. Factor analysis of the causal attributions resulted in 7 factors which became the subscales used to predict parent-child relationships. Findings indicate (a) Pakistani parents rated their relationships more negatively, (b) parents who rated "Something I Did" as an influential cause rated their parent-child relationships more negatively, and (c) parents who rated "Parent's Age" as an influential cause rated their parent-child relationships more positively. More important, parent education potentially could decrease self-blame and improve the parent-child relationship for the parents and the children.

*Religious factors, such as "God's will" or "gift from God," are included in the results of this study.

Author(s): Ambrin F. Masood, Lisa A. Turner, Abigail Baxter

Journal: Exceptional Children

Date: 2007

Volume: 73

Issue: 4

Pages: 475-487

DOI: 10.1177/001440290707300405

Databased: Yes

Disabilities: General

Categories: Clergy/Theology, Families