The "Down syndrome advantage" is the popular conception that children with Down syndrome are easier to rear than children with other developmental disabilities. We assessed whether mothers of children with developmental disabilities would demonstrate a consistent Down syndrome advantage as their children aged from 12 to 18 years. Results did not reveal significant differences between mothers of children with Down syndrome and mothers of children with other developmental disabilities on most maternal functioning variables. Although the prior group reported a consistent advantage in terms of personal reward and subjective well-being, these diagnostic group differences disappeared when maternal age and child adaptive behavior were controlled. We concluded that these variables may help to explain the Down syndrome advantage.

Despite the relatively unpredictable environmental challenges facing medical schools today, leaders have opportunities to influence and improve the workplace satisfaction of their faculty. Examples of opportunities include fostering a culture characterized by open communication and occasions for faculty input, and remaining vigilant regarding factors contributing to faculty burnout. Understanding what drives faculty satisfaction is crucial for medical schools as they continue to seek excellence in all missions and recruit and retain high-quality faculty.