Family functioning and strengths in families raising a child with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a serious disorder that has serious consequences on the functioning of children and their families. This study explores family functioning (adaptation, cohesion and family type) and strengths (pride, accord and whole) in Greek and Italian families raising a child with CP and their interaction. Participants were 120 parents of a biological child with CP. Data collection used a self-report questionnaire, the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-III) and the Family Strengths Inventory. According to the findings, parents (in both countries) estimate and wish their family to be in the balanced range which represents healthy family functioning according to the revised edition of the Olson Circumplex Model. Finally, they share a high sense of family strengths, which is mainly displayed in the high sense of pride and accord.