Att möta det oväntade : Tidigt föräldraskap till barn med Downs syndrom
(2003)- Abstract
- The purpose of this dissertation was to increase - through an empirical investigation - our understanding of early parenthood in relation to children with Down syndrome. My point of departure has been the parents’ life-worlds, and I have developed an accompanying working method. Ten families with newborn infants with Down syndrome were followed through regular home visits during the first year of the child’s life. Working together with a colleague, I have talked with the parents, listened to their stories, and observed and experienced the interaction between the parents and their children. This working method makes it possible to follow various processes taking place within the family. Frequent descriptions and renderings of parent stories... (More)
- The purpose of this dissertation was to increase - through an empirical investigation - our understanding of early parenthood in relation to children with Down syndrome. My point of departure has been the parents’ life-worlds, and I have developed an accompanying working method. Ten families with newborn infants with Down syndrome were followed through regular home visits during the first year of the child’s life. Working together with a colleague, I have talked with the parents, listened to their stories, and observed and experienced the interaction between the parents and their children. This working method makes it possible to follow various processes taking place within the family. Frequent descriptions and renderings of parent stories from 125 visits constitute the empirical material that has been analyzed and interpreted. The interpretation has been used to develop concepts that, in turn, permit generalization beyond the group under study. When considered together, these concepts provide a way of understanding parenthood in relation to children with Down syndrome. A central theme of the study is the parents’ different ways of relating to their conflicting feelings for the child as well as for parenthood and relationships with family members, friends and professional support people. Starting from the attitudes identified in the investigation resulted in the creation of a simple typology. Parents with an idealizing attitude gave priority to positive emotions and reactions. When negative or problematic aspects were predominant, I have described the parents’ attitudes as struggling, whereas those who generally avoided strong feelings have been characterized as having an everyday way of relating. These concepts are directly anchored in the empirical material and, thereby, in the parents’ life-worlds. In order to represent my personal understanding of the parents’ life-worlds, I have also – based on the empirical data – written narrative reconstructions, that is, short stories in fictional form. What characterizes all parents in the study, regardless of how they dealt with their conflicting feelings, is that they tried to protect their relationship to the child from very strong negative reactions. Parents needed support from the people closest to them, and could become disappointed when such support was insufficient. This dependence was partially transferred to professional contacts, which became crucial to development of the parental role. Idealizing parents perceived that the professionals were treating them well. Those with an everyday attitude were content, whereas the struggling parents often felt they were being misunderstood and offended. This leads to the question of the extent to which parents’ own attitudes affect the quality of professional treatment. The manner in which parenthood is reflected by people in private as well as professional networks has consequences for development of the parental identity. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Popular Abstract in Swedish
Avhandlingens syfte är att genom en empirisk undersökning öka förståelsen av tidigt föräldraskap till barn med Downs syndrom. Jag utgår ifrån föräldrarnas livsvärld och utvecklar ett medföljande arbetssätt. Tio familjer med nyfödda barn med Downs syndrom följs genom regelbundna hembesök under det första året med barnet. Tillsammans med en medarbetare samtalar jag med föräldrarna, lyssnar på deras egna berättelser samt observerar och upplever det som händer mellan föräldrar och barn. Arbetssättet ger en möjlighet att följa olika processer i familjen. Täta beskrivningar och återgivningar av föräldraberättelser från 125 besök utgör det empiriska material som analyseras och tolkas. Tolkningen används... (More) - Popular Abstract in Swedish
Avhandlingens syfte är att genom en empirisk undersökning öka förståelsen av tidigt föräldraskap till barn med Downs syndrom. Jag utgår ifrån föräldrarnas livsvärld och utvecklar ett medföljande arbetssätt. Tio familjer med nyfödda barn med Downs syndrom följs genom regelbundna hembesök under det första året med barnet. Tillsammans med en medarbetare samtalar jag med föräldrarna, lyssnar på deras egna berättelser samt observerar och upplever det som händer mellan föräldrar och barn. Arbetssättet ger en möjlighet att följa olika processer i familjen. Täta beskrivningar och återgivningar av föräldraberättelser från 125 besök utgör det empiriska material som analyseras och tolkas. Tolkningen används för att skapa begrepp som i sin tur kan medge en generalisering utanför den undersökta gruppen. Dessa begrepp förs samman till ett sätt att förstå föräldraskap till barn med Downs syndrom. Ett centralt tema i undersökningen är föräldrarnas olika sätt att förhålla sig till motstridiga känslor inför såväl barnet som föräldraskapet och relationer till släkt, vänner och professionella stödpersoner. Men utgångspunkt från de förhållningssätt som identifierats i undersökningen skapas en enkel typologi. Föräldrar med ett idealiserande förhållningssätt ger positiva känslor och reaktioner företräde. När negativa eller problematiska aspekter dominerar beskriver jag föräldrarnas förhållningssätt som kämpande, medan de som undviker starka känslor generellt har ett vardagligt sätt att förhålla sig. Begreppen är direkt förankrade i empirin och därmed i föräldrarnas livsvärld. För att gestalta min personliga förståelse av föräldrarnas livsvärld gör jag dessutom, med utgångspunkt från empirin, s k narrativa rekonstruktioner, korta berättelser i skönlitterär form. Det som utmärker alla föräldrar, oavsett hur de hanterar sina motstridiga känslor, är att de försöker skydda relationen till barnet från allt för starka negativa reaktioner. Föräldrar behöver stöd från sina närstående men kan bli besvikna över att detta är otillräckligt. Beroendet flyttas delvis över på de professionella kontakterna vilka får en stor betydelse för utvecklingen av föräldrarollen. Idealiserande föräldrar uppfattar sig som väl behandlade av de professionella, de med ett vardagligt förhållningssätt är nöjda medan kämpande föräldrar ofta känner sig missförstådda och kränkta. Detta leder till frågan om i vilken utsträckning föräldrars eget förhållningssätt påverkar kvaliteten i det professionella bemötandet. Det sätt på vilket föräldraskapet speglas av personer i det privata respektive det professionella nätvetket får betydelse för utvecklingen av föräldraidentiteten. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/21315
- author
- Riddersporre, Bim LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Gustavsson, Anders, Stockholm University
- organization
- alternative title
- To face the Unexpected : Early Parenthood to Children with Down Syndrome
- publishing date
- 2003
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Development psychology, Life-world, Professional Support, Parental Attitudes, Early Parenthood, Down Syndrome, Utvecklingspsykologi
- pages
- 200 pages
- publisher
- Department of Psychology, Lund University
- defense location
- Edens Hörsal Lund
- defense date
- 2003-09-26 10:15:00
- ISBN
- 91-628-5761-4
- language
- Swedish
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- e2866c7d-058b-4acf-814f-63dcde60cca2 (old id 21315)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 11:04:10
- date last changed
- 2021-11-17 11:40:35
@phdthesis{e2866c7d-058b-4acf-814f-63dcde60cca2,
abstract = {{The purpose of this dissertation was to increase - through an empirical investigation - our understanding of early parenthood in relation to children with Down syndrome. My point of departure has been the parents’ life-worlds, and I have developed an accompanying working method. Ten families with newborn infants with Down syndrome were followed through regular home visits during the first year of the child’s life. Working together with a colleague, I have talked with the parents, listened to their stories, and observed and experienced the interaction between the parents and their children. This working method makes it possible to follow various processes taking place within the family. Frequent descriptions and renderings of parent stories from 125 visits constitute the empirical material that has been analyzed and interpreted. The interpretation has been used to develop concepts that, in turn, permit generalization beyond the group under study. When considered together, these concepts provide a way of understanding parenthood in relation to children with Down syndrome. A central theme of the study is the parents’ different ways of relating to their conflicting feelings for the child as well as for parenthood and relationships with family members, friends and professional support people. Starting from the attitudes identified in the investigation resulted in the creation of a simple typology. Parents with an idealizing attitude gave priority to positive emotions and reactions. When negative or problematic aspects were predominant, I have described the parents’ attitudes as struggling, whereas those who generally avoided strong feelings have been characterized as having an everyday way of relating. These concepts are directly anchored in the empirical material and, thereby, in the parents’ life-worlds. In order to represent my personal understanding of the parents’ life-worlds, I have also – based on the empirical data – written narrative reconstructions, that is, short stories in fictional form. What characterizes all parents in the study, regardless of how they dealt with their conflicting feelings, is that they tried to protect their relationship to the child from very strong negative reactions. Parents needed support from the people closest to them, and could become disappointed when such support was insufficient. This dependence was partially transferred to professional contacts, which became crucial to development of the parental role. Idealizing parents perceived that the professionals were treating them well. Those with an everyday attitude were content, whereas the struggling parents often felt they were being misunderstood and offended. This leads to the question of the extent to which parents’ own attitudes affect the quality of professional treatment. The manner in which parenthood is reflected by people in private as well as professional networks has consequences for development of the parental identity.}},
author = {{Riddersporre, Bim}},
isbn = {{91-628-5761-4}},
keywords = {{Development psychology; Life-world; Professional Support; Parental Attitudes; Early Parenthood; Down Syndrome; Utvecklingspsykologi}},
language = {{swe}},
publisher = {{Department of Psychology, Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Att möta det oväntade : Tidigt föräldraskap till barn med Downs syndrom}},
year = {{2003}},
}