The British Journal of Psychiatry 149: 161-171 (1986)
© 1986 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Family background of children with Down's syndrome and of children with a similar degree of mental retardation
A Gath and D Gumley
The families of Down's Syndrome children and another group with a similar
degree of retardation were compared using data collected at interview.
Differences in social class distribution were explained by the maternal age
effect in the Down's group. Divorce was more common in the control group
but the quality of marriage in those parents still together and the health
of parents were similar. No close associations were found between behaviour
disorders in the children and family factors, except that behaviour
disorders were likely to be associated with similar disturbance in siblings
next in age and to be more common in the less happy marriages.