Services and Supports, Partnership, and Family Quality of Life: Focus on Deaf-Blindness

In this, study, the authors examined the moderating effects of partnership on the relationship
between services and supports adequacy and family quality of life (FQOL) for families of
children with deaf-blindness ages birth to 21. A social-ecological approach enabled examining
the impact of disability on the family system. A survey, consisting of four measures, was
completed by 227 parents of children with deaf-blindness. Results suggest that FQOL for
families of children with deaf-blindness is explained, in part, by satisfaction with the adequacy
of friend and family supports and child-care services. Satisfaction with partnership also
significantly predicted FQOL for these families. Significant interaction effects indicated that
the relationships (a) between education services adequacy and FQOL and (b) between related
services adequacy and FQOL are dependent on satisfaction with partnership. Implications for
research and practice are discussed.