Seminar- Impact of Disabilities on Families

Families of children with disabilities have a broad range of experiences. This course will address the positive and negative impacts of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities on the well-being of various family members across the lifespan, through discussion of empirical research and family stories. We will focus on consequences for parents (e.g., diagnosis, family organization, stress and coping, resilience), siblings (e.g., sibling relationships, future caregivers), as well as grandparents and other extended family members. These topics will be explored through the lens of family theories with an emphasis on application to public policy and intervention.