Being the parent of a child with intellectual disability
(2005)Department of Health Sciences
- Abstract
- The pressures involved in caring for a child with intellectual disability (ID) and parental needs are well documented in the literature. However, existing theoretical and empirical work shows that the range of emotions experienced by these parents is not widely explored and social and heath caregivers sometimes lack insight into how life with a child with ID affects parents’ well being. The aim of this study was to explore the feelings and experiences of parents with a child with ID. A qualitative design with a phenomenological approach was used to conduct and analyse semi-structured in-depth interviews with eight parents of affected children. The data suggest that the disclosure of disability was a traumatic experience for the parents.... (More)
- The pressures involved in caring for a child with intellectual disability (ID) and parental needs are well documented in the literature. However, existing theoretical and empirical work shows that the range of emotions experienced by these parents is not widely explored and social and heath caregivers sometimes lack insight into how life with a child with ID affects parents’ well being. The aim of this study was to explore the feelings and experiences of parents with a child with ID. A qualitative design with a phenomenological approach was used to conduct and analyse semi-structured in-depth interviews with eight parents of affected children. The data suggest that the disclosure of disability was a traumatic experience for the parents. Further, the parents had to invest extraordinary amounts of time and energy in their struggle to get the best for their children. The positive emotions expressed by the parents were mostly related to their child and family, while the negative issues were connected to uncertainty of their life situation and to interactions with society. The concerns about the future of their youngster were present in most of the parents’ lives; however, they tried to maintain hope of positive outcomes. By learning about all aspects of these parents lives, the health care provider can give the parents more encouragement and help them to find personal strength to face the challenge of raising a child with a disability. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/2528968
- author
- Ceciene, Olga
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Feelings and experiences.
- year
- 2005
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- intellectual disability, children, parenting, feelings, experiences
- language
- English
- id
- 2528968
- date added to LUP
- 2012-05-04 14:25:33
- date last changed
- 2015-12-14 13:21:21
@misc{2528968,
abstract = {{The pressures involved in caring for a child with intellectual disability (ID) and parental needs are well documented in the literature. However, existing theoretical and empirical work shows that the range of emotions experienced by these parents is not widely explored and social and heath caregivers sometimes lack insight into how life with a child with ID affects parents’ well being. The aim of this study was to explore the feelings and experiences of parents with a child with ID. A qualitative design with a phenomenological approach was used to conduct and analyse semi-structured in-depth interviews with eight parents of affected children. The data suggest that the disclosure of disability was a traumatic experience for the parents. Further, the parents had to invest extraordinary amounts of time and energy in their struggle to get the best for their children. The positive emotions expressed by the parents were mostly related to their child and family, while the negative issues were connected to uncertainty of their life situation and to interactions with society. The concerns about the future of their youngster were present in most of the parents’ lives; however, they tried to maintain hope of positive outcomes. By learning about all aspects of these parents lives, the health care provider can give the parents more encouragement and help them to find personal strength to face the challenge of raising a child with a disability.}},
author = {{Ceciene, Olga}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Being the parent of a child with intellectual disability}},
year = {{2005}},
}