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Exploring the Impact of Entrepreneurship on Emotional Well-Being and Financial Stress in Individuals with Down Syndrome and their Caregivers

Award Number: R15HD119728
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2029

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Exploring the Impact of Entrepreneurship on Emotional Well-Being and Financial Stress in Individuals with Down Syndrome and their Caregivers - ABSTRACT This project investigates how inclusive family entrepreneurship may reduce financial stress and enhance emotional well-being in adults with Down syndrome (DS) and their caregivers. Adults with DS experience high unemployment and limited access to meaningful work. Some families turn to entrepreneurship, starting small businesses that include their child with DS, as a way to create customized, inclusive jobs. While this practice is growing, we know little about its true impact on well-being and economic burden. We will recruit 90 dyads, each made up of an adult with DS and their primary caregiver. Participants will be divided into three groups based on the employment status of the individual with DS: (1) unemployed, (2) employed in a non-entrepreneurial job, and (3) engaged in a business with their caregiver. Quantitative data will measure and compare emotional well-being, financial stress, and coping strategies across the three groups. We will use regression models to test whether stress and coping predict emotional well-being and whether entrepreneurship may buffer stress across groups. In addition, we will conduct focus groups with entrepreneurial families to learn more about how they view their business, what challenges they face, and what benefits they experience. This mixed-method approach will allow us to develop a more complete picture of how entrepreneurship functions as a financial and emotional support strategy for families of individuals with DS. This project is hosted at Auburn University at Montgomery, a Minority-Serving Institution, and will directly involve at least eight paid undergraduate students each year. These students will receive hands-on training in research design, data collection, analysis, and scientific writing. They will also co-author papers and present findings, helping to build the university’s research culture and prepare students for undergraduate study or careers in biomedical and behavioral research. The findings will inform inclusive employment policies and help shape future support systems for individuals with DS and their families.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $508,516 )
2026	2026	AUBURN UNIVERSITY MONTGOMERY	7430 EAST DR LIBRARY TOWER 700	MONTGOMERY	AL	36117	MONTGOMERY	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	1	9/10/2026	NEW	-$508,516
2026	2026	AUBURN UNIVERSITY MONTGOMERY	7430 EAST DR LIBRARY TOWER 700	MONTGOMERY	AL	36117	MONTGOMERY	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	9/1/2026	NEW	$508,516
2026	2026	AUBURN UNIVERSITY MONTGOMERY	7430 EAST DR LIBRARY TOWER 700	MONTGOMERY	AL	36117	MONTGOMERY	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	002	1	9/11/2026	NEW	$508,516
														Subtotal = $508,516

Grand Total All Awards = $508,516

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Exploring the Impact of Entrepreneurship on Emotional Well-Being and Financial Stress in Individuals with Down Syndrome and their Caregivers

Award Number: R15HD119728

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2029

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