Stress and family functioning in parents of girls with Rett syndrome.

Mothers and fathers of 29 girls with Rett syndrome provided data about their levels of parenting stress, marital adjustment, and family functioning. Their scores were compared to normative and clinical samples. The parents of girls with Rett syndrome reported more stress, lower marital satisfaction, and certain adaptations in family functioning compared to norms. However, most parents scored in the normal range on most measures and their scores were not related to SES. There was little relationship between specific characteristics of the daughter with Rett syndrome, such as her age and level of functioning, and her parents' scores on these measures. There were few significant differences between mothers' and fathers' scores. Results are discussed in terms of patterns of family adaptation and coping. Clinical implications are also discussed.