Indian Family Adjustment to Children with Disabilites

The purpose of this study was to explore the community response of how American Indian families adapt to having school age children with disabilities in two diverse American Indian communities. An ethnographic design was utilized to construct a taxonomy about family adjustment of American Indian families with disabilities. Community Assessment interviews were conducted with 143 community members in the Great Plains and Southeastern parts of the United States. A taxonomy of American Indian family adjustment to a child with disabilities was developed. American Indian families were described as adjusting to their child with disabilities in two ways: by constructive adjustment or limited adjustment. In the constructive adjustment, American Indian families believe that the child with disabilities is given to them for a reason. There is a purpose for the child being a member of the family. Because of this purpose, American Indian children with disabilities are included in everyday family activities such as going to the store, eating dinner together, attending ceremonies, going to pow wows, and going to social gatherings. These families are healthy and "in harmony." In the limited adjustment, American Indian families become restricted in how they adjust to having a child with disabilities. Families may not know how to make changes within the family so that the child is cared for properly. These families may be "out of harmony" and need support to adjust.