Evaluation of Family Functioning of Children with Mental Disorders

Aims: Mental disorders are not only causing psychiatric patients incompetence, but also affect their families strongly and disrupt their performance. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics and functioning of families of children with mental disorders (developmental disorders, emotional internalization, disruptive behavior, and drive out disorder). Instrument & Methods: This study is a descriptive study of causal comparative. The present population of the families of children with mental disorders who were admitted in hospitals and welfare centers in Hamadan. The study sample consisted of 56 families with children with mental disorders and 56 families with children from normal families which were selected by convenience sampling. The families were matched with regard to level social and economic. Was used to collect data on family scale. The independent t-test was used to analyze data. Findings: The results of this study showed that there were significant differences between families of children with mental disorders and their families with normal children in the family (p<0.05). Conclusion: Families of children with mental disorders need to support and rebuild be able to function normally and become prevented from damage in individual, family and community in other family members.