Families with a disabled member: impact and family education

This article debates whether the quality of life of the families is depleted or improved due to the presence of a member with a disability. A theoretical review is carried out of the impact on the family caused by the birth of a child with a disability, the detrimental effects of the disability and the positive effects of the empowerment offered by the family intervention programs. When the family includes a member with a disability, time and effort must be dedicated to them as they normally have greater requirements for care. The repercussion of this is putting the needs of the parents and siblings to one side, creating a specific profile for these families. They show issues such as imbalance in the family system, unawareness of aspects of health and education, negative feelings, need for adaptation, etc., for which they require support programs. With the family intervention, they are able to improve their awareness of problems, acquire efficient education strategies, initiate new friendships, improve conflict resolution, etc. In consequence, rather than focusing on the disadvantages, these families can achieve a series of highly developed skills such as communication, self-esteem, sense of humour, resilience. It is the own potential of these families that must be strengthened, not only to improve the quality of family life, but also for the benefits to extend to the community. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd.