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All sections to appear here

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Measuring Family Quality of Life for Evaluation and Support

Robin McWilliamRobin.McWilliam@gmail.com

www.ramgroup.info

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Outline

• Definition of FQoL• How to assess it• What to do about it• Why we should care

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Definitions From the Field

When you hear family quality of life, what do you assume this means?

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Definitions From the Field

If you think your family quality of life is good, how is it good?

If you think it’s bad, how is it bad?Is family quality of life malleable?

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Definitions From Experts

• Original Beach Center definition:• “conditions where the family’s needs are met,

and family members enjoy their life together as a family and have the chance to do things which are important to them” (p. 368; Park, Turnbull and Turnbull, 2002).

• Later amended to include the interaction of context, system, policies, and programs with both individual- and family-level needs.

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Assessment

• Figure out definition from what’s assessed• International Family Quality of Life Survey

(FQOLS-2006; Brown et al., 2006; Isaacs et al., 2007)

1. Health2. Financial well-being3. Family relationships4. Support from other

people5. Disability-related

services

6. Influence of values7. Careers and

preparing for careers

8. Leisure and recreation

9. Community interaction5/13/2015

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Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale (FQOL)

• Hoffman et al., 20061. Physical/material well-being2. Family interaction3. Parenting4. Disability-related supports5. Emotional well-being• Rating satisfaction and importance

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Early-Intervention-Specific Scale

• Families of children birth to 6 with special needs

• Family perception of child functioning

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Family Quality of Life (FaQoL; McWilliam & Casey, 2013)

• Original developed in 2006 for study of families of children with hearing impairments

• Another in 2007 for families of children with ASD

• Current version for families of all children 0-6• Translated into Spanish, Portuguese, and

Chinese

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Factor Structure

• Initial factor analysis done in U.S. • Confirmed in Spain (N = 777; García &

McWilliam, 2015)• Factor 1 - Family Relationships. Problem

solving, communication, parenting, relationships with extended family, and family participation in social activities.

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• Factor 2 - Access to Information and Services. Knowledge of their child's disability, child development, managing challenging behaviors and resources such as support services, medical assistance, and organizations in their community

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• Factor 3 – Child Functioning. Child's engagement, independence, and social relationships within family daily routines.

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• Factor 4 – Overall Life Situation: Fulfillment of family needs in health, financial resources, and employment.

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Support to Promote It

• Needs based• General well-being– Parenting

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Needs-Based Support

Needs From RBI

Needs From FaQoL

Support-Based Home Visits

New Needs

Improved FQoL

Child Functioning

Family Needs Assess-ment

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General Well-Being: Parenting

Talk

Read

PlayTeach

Manage Behavior

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The 8 Bailey et al. Family Outcome Questions

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Alignment With Federal Family Outcomes

Federal• Family

– Part C• Know their rights• Effectively communicate their

children’s needs• Help their children develop and learn

– 619• Schools facilitated parent

involvement

• Child– Positive social-emotional skills– Acquisition and use of knowledge &

skilsl– Use of appropriate behaviors to meet

their needs

FaQoL1. Family Relationships2. Access to Information &

Services3. Child Functioning4. Overall Life Situation

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Transactional Nature of Family Systems

Child Functioning

Family Well-Being

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Parents can fill their child’s bucket only to the extent that their own bucket is full

Crossco.com

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Take-Home Messages

What important message will you carry away?

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Take-Home Messages

1. Consider adding FQoL to your program evaluation, using the FaQoL

2. Don’t assume federal outcomes measure how well you’re doing with families

3. Ensure you’re assessing and meeting all 3 types of family needs

4. Child functioning is a part of a family’s quality of life

5. Remember the bucket principle5/13/2015