Parenting a Child with a Disability: The Role of Social Support for African American Parents

Abstract

This article examines (a) the impact of having a child with a disability on parents' mental and physical health among urban-dwelling African Americans and (b) the extent to which positive and negative social interactions with family members other than the spouse moderate the impact of child's disability on parental adaptation. Analyses are based on a probability sample of African Americans living in Milwaukee, Wisc. The analytic sample includes 48 parents of children with a disability and 144 comparison group parents of nondisabled children. Results showed that having a child with a disability is associated with more somatic symptoms. However, the negative consequences of the child's disability on parents' mental health are reduced when parents receive greater positive support from family.