Family responses and influencing factors in raising children with developmental disabilities: A cross-sectional study in South Korea

Abstract

Family responses, which encompass how families respond to raise children with developmental disabilities (DDs) and manage their child’s condition, have a profound impact on both the child and the family as a whole. Demographic and contextual factors contribute to shaping family responses and overall experiences. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of family responses to raising children with DDs and the influencing factors is essential. This study examined how families responded to caring for their children with DDs and determined the factors associated with the family responses. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 200 parents of children with DDs in South Korea between September 2020 and October 2021. Families reported unfavorable perceptions across multiple aspects of family management and experienced difficulties in day-to-day caregiving. Various factors, including the child’s age, gender, and diagnosis, as well as parental age, gender, and education, were associated with different aspects of family responses. Higher levels of social support, from relatives, friends, and others in general, were linked to more positive family responses. This study highlights the challenges faced by these families and underscores the critical role of social support in promoting positive family responses. Moreover, this study emphasizes the importance of providing tailored interventions that take into account demographic and contextual factors to address the specific needs of families of children with DDs. © The Author(s) 2025.