Family Involvement in Residential Treatment of Children with Retardation: Is there Evidence of Detachment?

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Abstract
Family involvement could be critical for successful residential treatment. Historically, however, out of home placement for children with mental retardation meant a severing of meaningful ties with their families. Today, families have greater involvement with pre-placement services and might be more involved in residential treatment as well. Families (N = 55) were interviewed twice, approximately one and two years after placement, to assess their involvement with the child and their reactions to placement. Contrary to previous findings, family involvement was high and stable; there was no evidence of behavioral detachment. Moreover, respondents primarily reported post-placement benefits to the family. Family emotional reactions were considered within a framework of "psychological tasks of placement".