Experiences of Families of Individuals with Intellectual Disability and Psychiatric Disorder

Caring for individuals with intellectual disability often results in stressful experiences for family caregivers, even leading to crisis in some cases. This paper uses the Brief Family Distress Scale (BFDS) to assess the subjective experience of crisis in a clinical sample of 29 families of individuals with intellectual disability and psychiatric disorder. Our analyses determined that 58% of the families rated themselves as 6 or above on the BFDS, indicative of approaching crisis or worse. An analysis of the BFDS’ correlation with related constructs and stressors, and families’ need for certain resources and services are further discussed.