Objectives:

Understanding quality of life of families as a dynamic state of family well-being, in which individual and collective needs interact, this research describes the quality of life of families that include a person with an intellectual disability.

Methodology:

Understanding quality of life of families as a dynamic state of family well-being, in which individual and collective needs interact, this research describes the quality of life of families that include a person with an intellectual disability.

Results:

61.5% of the families were single-parent nuclear families with the mother in charge and working as a caregiver. The highest absolute frequency in family size was two, which implies an increase in women’s workload. The dimensions “Role of parents” and “Health and safety” ranked higher in terms of importance and perceived satisfaction. “Family interaction” and “Family resources”, which are considered very important, scored more neutrally in terms of satisfaction, while “Support for the person with a disability” ranked with the highest degree of dissatisfaction.

Conclusions:

Family plays a fundamental role in knowing the needs and problems of its members, and is an essential element for their development. Consequently, it must be assumed as a primary resource in the construction of intervention policies and plans. The dissatisfaction reported by families that negatively affects their quality of life is related to the need for formal support and social networks, which must be inclusive and effective to change that perception and improve the quality of family life.

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