Severity of Disability and Income as Predictors of Parents' Satisfaction with Their Family Quality of Life during Early Childhood Years

Abstract

The field of early intervention has recognized a growing need to study contributing factors of family outcomes such as family quality of life (FQOL). This study of 130 fathers and 234 mothers of families in early childhood programs explores the associations between family income and severity of disability, and fathers' and mothers' satisfaction with their FQOL. The results reveal that severity of disability is a significant predictor of fathers' and mothers' satisfaction ratings of FQOL; that family income is a significant predictor of mothers' satisfaction ratings of their FQOL, but not of fathers; and that there is no interaction effect of family income and severity of disability with respect to fathers' and mothers' satisfaction ratings of FQOL.