Purpose of Study: In this survey quality of life was examined from a family focus in families with children with intellectual or developmental disabilities (group B) and families with children without disabilities (group A). Information thereto was provided by the main caregiver of the family. For that purpose the Canadian Family Quality Of Life Survey was translated into German and adapted for the Austrian cultural background (FQL-Questionnaire; in German: FLQ-Fragebogen) in order to conduct a

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... pilot-study. Furthermore, the main caregivers' individual quality of life and their locus of control were measured. Method: 122 persons – aged 27 to 75 – took part in the study: 59 main caregivers in group B (93,2 % female; 6,8 % male) and 63 in group A (95,2 % female; 4,8 % male). The sample was recruited through institutions and organizations (group B) and the authors' private networks (group A). This sample was assessed within a face-to-face interview (FLQ-Fragebogen) and with a self-assessment questionnaire consisting of a short form of the WHOQOL-BREF, the Ryff-Scale, the SWLS, the FKK and the HZV/FZA. For statistic calculation univariate and multivariate analyses of variance, t-tests and methods for measuring correlations were applied. Results: Families with children with disabilities report lower family quality of life than families with children without disabilities. This was particularly noted in respect of barriers to accessing health care as well as lesser support from relatives, friends and neighbors. The latter being notedly inferior in single-parent families. Amongst families with a child with disability those with low income report a significantly lower family quality of life. In addition, families with disabled children experience discrimination in everyday life more often. Further, main caregivers of children with disabilities reveal lower individual quality of life than those with children without disabilities. The financial situation also has a major influence on individual quality of life, albeit only a [...]