This study investigated the influences of children's adaptive skills, problem behaviors, and parent support systems (informal support and formal professional support) on maternal well-being (health and stress) in Taiwanese mothers of young children with developmental disabilities. The study examined the moderating effects of formal support and informal support on the relationship between child characteristics and maternal well-being. The theoretical framework of this study is based on the Double ABCX model of Family Adjustments and Adaptation Response (FAAR) (McCubbin & Patterson, 1982, 1983). An ABX model based on the Double ABCX model was used in this study for investigating the relationships among child characteristics, support systems, and maternal well-being in Taiwan. One hundred and twenty mothers of young children with developmental disabilities between 3 and 5 years of age participated in this study. Children's adaptive skills and problem behaviors were measured using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and the Child Behavior Checklist. The Family Support Scale was used to collect information about mothers' perceived helpfulness of two types of support. The Parenting Stress Index was used to measure mothers' stress. The 36- item Short Form Health Survey was chosen to assess maternal health. Regressions and general linear models (GLM) were tested to examine the moderating effects of supports on the associations between child characteristics and maternal well-being. Consistent with the literature in U.S. and other countries, the child-related parenting stress was significantly associated with child problem behavior. Results suggest that the perceived informal support is a significant moderator for the impact of child problem behavior on parenting stress. Mothers of children with more severe problem behaviors reported lower stress when they perceived better informal support. Different effects of formal and informal supports were discussed. It is important to consider both child characteristics and mothers' concerns for providing effective early intervention services and appropriate supports to families of children with developmental disabilities.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION

The Use of Metamotivational Vocational Interventions on Task Engagement and Productivity

by

Anneta MingXiu Hsu Phillips

Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Program in Education

University of California, Riverside, June, 2011

Dr. Sharon A. Duffy, Chairperson

The improvement of work behaviors among people with ID is frequently identified as a critical variable to achieving community integration. Individuals with ID exhibit various vocational skill deficits that impact their employment opportunities. The current study examined the effectiveness of three (music alone, music interspersed with auditory prompts, and auditory prompts alone) metamotivational vocational interventions to improve work productivity and task engagement levels in individuals with ID. A randomized alternating treatments design with maintenance and generalization phases was used. During the intervention period participants received each of the three randomly assigned interventions each day for a total of 18 sessions over 6 days. Participants, ages 35 to 61, were included in the study if they had a diagnosis of moderate or severe intellectual disability, evidenced poor task engagement and work productivity, and had the ability to interact without a pattern of persistent or chronic behavior issues. Four of the nine participants improved their productivity and task engagement levels with at least one of the treatments. Although the results did not provide strong support for the prediction that the combination of classical music and auditory prompts would be the most effective strategy for all participants, the results do suggest that low cost, low tech MP3 players can have a positive impact on task engagement and work productivity for adults with intellectual disability.