ABSTRACT
The study of families is one of the most active and vibrant areas of mental retardation research. Perusal of any of the mental retardation journals leads to the clear conclusion that the study of families is dynamic and energetic, both nationally and internationally. Family research has developed from a narrow historic focus on identifying family pathology and dysfunction to a theoretically driven field of research examining complex reciprocal family processes that are affected by the presence of a family member with mental retardation. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of mental retardation family research. The information presented in the chapter is organized according to the theory that guided the research effort. For those family studies that are not clearly aligned with one theoretical position, findings are grouped according to the theoretical position that they best illuminate. As such, multifaceted findings from some studies may be found across different sections of the chapter. Although the focus is on mental retardation, studies of families with members who have autism and certain other disabilities associated with mental retardation are also included. Family mental retardation researchers have overwhelmingly focused their efforts on the childhood period. Only a few researchers have studied families of adults with mental retardation. Accordingly, although this chapter takes a life-span perspective, the emphasis is on families who have a child who has mental retardation.
