Family dynamics in different development disorders

Objective To explore the characteristics of family dynamics in different developmental disorders. Methods In this study cross-sectional survey were used.Parents of 69 Autistic Disorder(AD)children, 18 Asperger Syndrome (AS) children, 51 Mental Retardation(MR)children and 69 Normal Group(NG)children were investigated by Self-rating Inventory of Systemic Family Dynamics to assess their family dynamic characteristics.SPSS18.0 package for statistics were used. Results Covariance analysis by controlling children's age showed: there were significant differences in both fathers' and mothers' family atmosphere , systemic logic and disease concept dimension among the four groups (Ffather=5.355, 3.946, 6.961, P<0.05; Fmother=4.325, 2.977, 5.878, P<0.05). Pairwise comparison indicated that scores of both fathers' and mothers' family atmosphere, disease concept dimension in AD(father (24.24±5.89), (10.60±2.81); mother (24.90±8.18), (10.59±3.07)), AS(father (24.67±7.07), (11.39±2.52); mother (26.83±6.24), (10.61±2.55)), MR(father (25.02±7.89), (10.94±2.94); mother(24.02±7.59), (11.42±3.54)) groups were significant higher than that of NG(father (20.19±5.75), (8.74±2.63); mother (20.87±5.85), (8.88±2.64))(P<0.05). Scores of both fathers' and mothers' systemic logic dimension in MR group(father (24.26±4.36), mother(23.54±4.58)) were higher than that of NG(father (21.61±3.97), mother (21.03±3.66), P<0.01). Conclusion In families of AD, AS and MR children, the family atmosphere is more boring, parents are more likely to consider themselves " full of victims" . Parents of MR children are more prone to one or the other way of looking at problems. Key words: Autistic disorder; Asperger syndrome; Mental retardation; Family dynamics