# PERMANENT RESIDENTIAL PLANNING BY PARENTS OF MR ADULTS

> **NIH NIH R01** · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY · 1991 · $140,735

## Abstract

Long-term objectives are to understand and facilitate the making of
permanent residential plans by elderly parents for their mentally retarded
(MR) adult offsprings to live with them. Unless plans are made, parents'
incapacities or death can lead to inappropriate placements. The specific
aim is to test a model of antecedents to making plans using structural
equation modeling.

The variables hypothesized to contribute directly to plans are relatives
willing to assume responsibility; non-use of avoidance coping with
planning; and perceived inability to provide homecare. In turn, it is
assumed that perceived inability to care is influenced by offsprings'
impairment level and adverse changes (in the parent, in the offspring, and
other adversities such as illness or death of a spouse); but attenuated by
use of informal supports and psychological interdependence between parent
and child. Avoidance coping is assumed to be increased by pessimistic
attitudes toward offsprings' future and decreased by satisfaction with the
use of formal services, as well as by a perceived internal locus of
control. In turn, an external locus of control is presumed to be associated
with lower SES. Whereas age is associated with adverse changes, it is also
inversely related to the use of formal services because, among older
cohorts, formal service usage was equated with institutionalization. Lower
SES is also assumed to be associated with a greater incidence of adverse
changes.

The sample of 300 parents (age 65 and over), each from a different family,
will include 100 who have not used MR services (the yet to be studied
"hidden"). The 1 hour interview consists of a mix of fixed response items
and open-ended queries. The model will be evaluated using a structural
equation approach based on LISREL VII.In case of a poor model fit, LISREL
diagnostics will be evaluated to help isolate the source of model
discrepancies. Changes in the model will be made if they can be justified
on conceptual and psychometric grounds, and the model will then be
reevaluated. The model will also be tested after removing the subgroup who
have family members who are perceived as willing to provide home care (an
estimated 20%); and also, hypothesized differences between the non-hidden
and hidden subgroups will be tested using the multi-group solution in
LISREL. The availability of this sample permits further investigation of
antecedents and, additionally, assessment of beneficial effects that follow
from the sense of relief in having made plans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3120964
- **Project number:** 5R01AG009198-02
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NHH3T1Z96H29
- **Principal Investigator:** SHELDON S TOBIN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $140,735
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1990-09-01 → 1993-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3120964

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3120964, PERMANENT RESIDENTIAL PLANNING BY PARENTS OF MR ADULTS (5R01AG009198-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3120964. Licensed CC0.

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