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Family Involvement in Residential Treatment of Children with Retardation: Is there Evidence of Detachment?
Author(s) -
Blacher Jan,
Baker Bruce L.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1994.tb01737.x
Subject(s) - psychology , family therapy , family disruption , family ties , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , genealogy , history
Family involvement could be critical for successful residential treatment. Historically, however, out of home placement for children wish mental retardation meant a severing of meaningful ties with their families. Today, families have greater involvement with pre‐placement services and might be more involved in residential treatment as well. Families ( N = 55) were interviewed twice, approximately one and two years after placement, to assess their involvement with the child and their reactions to placement. Contrary to previous findings, family involvement was high and stable; there was no evidence of behavioral detachment. Moreover, respondents primarily reported post ‐placement benefits to the family. Family emotional reactions were considered within a framework of “psychological tasks of placement”.