Heidi Ullmann, Ph.D., Julie D. Weeks, Ph.D., and Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D. – 2022
This report explains children with disabilities are at increased risk of experiencing stressful life events and shares 2019 findings from the National Health Interview Survey on the prevalence of children with disabilities experiencing four stressful life events: exposure to violence, parental or guardian incarceration, living with someone with an alcohol or drug problem, and living with someone with an alcohol or drug problem. Findings indicate: in 2019, 17.2% of children with disability had been exposed to violence in their neighborhood compared with 5.3% of children without disability; the percentage of children aged 5-17 years who had lived with a parent or guardian who served time in jail or prison was higher for children with disability; among children aged 5-17 years, 21.6% of those with disability and 7.5% of those without disability had lived with someone who was mentally ill or severely depressed; in 2019, 17.6% of children with disability had lived with someone with an alcohol or drug problem, compared with 8.6% of children without disability; and the percentage of children who had experienced two or more of the four stressful life events was higher among those with disability.