Associations between descriptor variables of child characteristics, life events, parental resources and coping strategies and outcome measures of psychological distress, satisfaction with life and adaptation to the child were investigated for both mothers and fathers in a sample of families of children with severe physical disability. Results indicated high levels of psychological distress, particularly for mothers. Personality factors, coping strategies, life events and socio-economic disadvantage were related to outcome for both parents. For mothers, greater physical disability and communication problems in the child were risk factors; for fathers, child gender and feeding problems showed significant associations with outcome.