Pediatric Disability and Caregiver Separation.

The evidence that the birth of a child with a disability leads to divorce or separation is equivocal, with the majority of recent research suggesting that such a birth and childrearing may be stressful, but not necessarily toxic, to the caregiver relationship. Such research has been limited by small sample sizes and nonrepresentative samples and has not been able to examine the caregivers' relationship stability over time. Using the National Survey of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Children and Families (NSCF), data related to severity of the child's condition, caregiver burden, respite, and support group use were examined in relation to caregiver separation. Most variables showed no statistical significance. Our results did not support the hypothesis that the birth of a child with a disability leads to relationship dissolution. The instability of the child's condition and only extremely high levels of caregiver burden (the need for respite care and the need for the family to provide more than 48 hours of home health care) were positively associated with relationship separation. Use of a support group was associated with lower levels of relationship dissolution. The implications for service provision to families with a child living with disability are discussed. Additionally, because parental and practitioner culture often maintain the myth that the birth of a child with disability leads to dissolution of the caregiver relationship, implications of this are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]