Abstract
In 1996, we made a survey of families that had children with developmental disabilities. The feeling of stigma was evaluated by asking questions concerning notification of the disabilities and how the families felt in social life. The answers have been statistically dealt with. The factors of stigmatization are (1) inadequate attitudes of the persons notifying the disabilities to families, (2) the inappropriateness of the time to notify the disabilities, (3) the discontentment with the informant, (4) the long period for acceptance of the disabilities, (5) unsuitable behavior of staffs in social support systems, (6) feeling of isolation through unpleasant experiences in social life. The points below are discussed. 1) It is crucial for the families how to notice the developmental disabilities of their children. 2) It is necessary for the families to reduce the feeling of stigma in order to accept the developmental disabilities of their children. 3) The families who are unable to accept the disabilities tend to feel stigmatized when they consult with social support systems. In order to reduce the feeling of stigma, various social support network systems are very important for practical support for the children themselves, psychological support for the families, suitable consulting places and better understanding of the disabilities in the society.
