Family Factors Influencing Social-Emotional Development in Children with Disabilities

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:45 am - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Social emotional development in diverse contexts

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between family factors and social-emotional outcomes of children with disabilities. We specifically examined the mediating effect of parents’ mental health on their child’s social-emotional development. Findings show a significant relationship between the child’s disability status and the child’s social-emotional development. Interestingly, the child’s disability status does not significantly predict family resources and family resources do not predict children’s social-emotional development. However, parents’ mental health significantly predicts children’s social-emotional development. These findings suggest that simply having resources available do not necessarily lead to positive child social-emotional development. Other key factors such as parents’ mental health plays a critical role in the child’s social-emotional development. Implications of the study are discussed.

Authors

• Yaoying Xu, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Yuyan Xia, University of Kentucky

• Chin-Chih Chen, Virginia Commonwealth University