Families Research

Use and customize these charts and graphs to help illustrate some key research findings.

• Families Key Findings Image (JPG): Download a jpeg of the key findings and associated sources.

Share evidence of Special Olympics’ impact through these summaries of Special Olympics research that include ready-to-share printouts designed for Programs.

• Best Stats for Families (PDF): This one pager provides the most compelling data points about Special Olympics families in easy-to-use bullet points and infographics.
• Why Research Families (PDF): Families are an important source of support for people with intellectual disabilities, many of whom continue to live with their families into adulthood.
• Benefits of Special Olympics to the Family (PDF): Evaluations have found that Special Olympics creates family networks, strengthens family relationships, raises expectations and builds knowledge.
• Families - Key Findings (PDF): This section highlights some key findings across the research such as the majority of families report attending competitions and 75% of parents in the United States said that Special Olympics had a positive impact on their social relationships outside the family.

Access research articles that go into more detail on some of the findings shared in the overview section.

• The Positive Contributions of Special Olympics to the Family (web page)
• Special Olympics International: Supporting families of Special Olympics athletes during COVID-19 (PDF)
• Sibling Relationships in a Global Context: Findings from a Survey of Siblings of Special Olympics Athletes (PDF)