발달지체아동의 가족생태학적 요인과 삶의 질 연구

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify risk patterns based on the risk levels of disturbed behaviors and to identify the influencing factors of risk patterns of children with developmental disabilities. Data was collected from 174 families of children with particular behavior problems and patterns of problems shown by children in March 2006. Cluster analysis was used to find interactions among factors by forming clusters on the basis of their statistical similarity. The findings indicate that the data contained two distinctively different groups of disability patterns i.e., severe pattern vs. moderate pattern. Logistic regression analysis showed that overcome perception, poverty status, and parental psychological distress were significantly related with the pattern of children with developmental disabilities. Estimated OLS regression was employed to examine whether or not disabilities patterns and family ecological variables are associated with the quality of life of the families of children with developmental disabilities when holding other factors constant. The findings showed that disabilities patterns, parental personality traits, family cohesion, relative deprivation of poverty have large and statistically highly significant effects on the quality of life. But, family income itself were not statistically significant, indicating relatively little variation on quality of life of the family. Programs that can provide social service and assist the families to cope with their adverse life conditions and psychological distress should be developed. These intangible supports will provide important psychological benefits to families to educate the disabled children in reaching their fullest potential. It also provides the belief that they are not isolated from social groups, and the society has moral and ethical responsibility and commitment.