The Impact of the Reaction to the Diagnosis of Disability on the Family System

The topic of the event/activity is the reaction to the diagnosis of disability process, a critical event involving the entire family system. The resolution of the diagnosis of disability is the positive outcome of the emotional and cognitive processing of the diagnosis of disability that plays a key role in promoting positive emotional family relationships. 

Two posters on the topic will be presented. The first poster reports the results of a multiple mediation study investigating whether the resolution of a child's autism diagnosis by the parent represents a protective factor for a high-quality parent-child relationship via the mediation of two risk factors: parental stress and caregiving burden. 

The second poster reports the results of a dyadic study investigating whether parents’ resolution of a child’s diagnosis of physical disability or neurodevelopmental disorder promotes the resolution of the diagnosis by the sibling and whether this, in turn, acts as a protective factor for the quality of the sibling relationship.

The results of both studies confirm that the resolution of the diagnosis of disability is a personal resource for parents, promoting both the resolution of the diagnosis by the sibling and a high-quality parent-child relationship (characterised by closeness, less conflict, and dependence). Furthermore, the parents' resolution of the diagnosis reduces their stress and the negative emotional impact of caring for a child with autism. 

Similarly, the resolution of the diagnosis represents a personal resource for the sibling, as it fosters a high-quality sibling relationship, characterised by high levels of closeness and low levels of conflict, jealousy, self-marginalisation, and worry.

Therefore, intervening in these dimensions could have positive knock-on effects not only on the affective relationships between family members, but also on their personal well-being and the overall functioning of the family system.