ABSTRACT:
Introduction: The birth of a child with intellectual and developmental disabilities is likely to be one of the most traumatic events experienced by the family. Parents and other children in the family must undergo a variety of profound changes to adapt to the presence of a disabled member. Some are able to cope up with such a situation and some experience psychological stress and affect their family life. So there is a need to evaluate the family quality of life (FQOL) of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Methods:- A non experimental descriptive study design using Non probability, convenient sampling technique. family quality of life (FQOL) of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities were assessed using self administered questionnaire to a total of 30 parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a private Mental Retardation School, at Thrissure, from 08-Jan-2015 to 07-Feb-2015..socio demographic values of both parents and children were collected to assess the association between FQOL and demographic variables. Family quality of life scale (FQOL) questionnaire was used to assess the family quality of life. Results: Shows that 16(53.34%)of participants belongs to the age group more than 1 5 years and 53.33 % of them were males. 15(50%)of them were having Mental retardation and 24 (80%)of them were from Hindu religion. 24(80%)of parents were males. 15(50%) were cooli workers, with high school education and belongs the age group between 41-50 years. 25(83.34%)of them were from nuclear family. The family income of 23 (76.76%)of them were two lakhs. 21(70%) were having Very satisfactory level of Family quality of life in family interaction domain, parenting domain and Disability related support domain. but only (36.67%)were under Very satisfactory and satisfactory rating level in Emotional well being domain . Physical/ material wellbeing domain had 43.34% Very satisfied family quality of life. present study findings are consistent with previous study findings and suggest that alternative methods would be useful in improving family quality of life of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.