BACKGROUND: Much is known about the hardships associated with parenting a child with a disability, but few studies have examined the broader contributions of the child to family life or society. METHODS: The study involved qualitative analysis of interviews with 16 families of children with autism spectrum disorder or Down syndrome at critical transition periods (entry to elementary or high school), targeting their perceptions of benefits. RESULTS: Parents discussed a wide range of benefits beyond the personal level, including parental, family and societal benefits. Exploratory group comparisons indicated that parents of high school-aged children were more likely to mention family-level and societal benefits. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that raising a child with a disability can trigger role-related decisions that lead to a series of resiliency-related processes and cascading benefits. The findings inform practitioners about the nature of potential positive experiences that can be shared with families starting out on their journey, allowing parents to recognize the positive dimensions of raising a child with a disability in addition to the hardships.
BACKGROUND: Much is known about the hardships associated with parenting a child with a disability, but few studies have examined the broader contributions of the child to family life or society. METHODS: The study involved qualitative analysis of interviews with 16 families of children with autism spectrum disorder or Down syndrome at critical transition periods (entry to elementary or high school), targeting their perceptions of benefits. RESULTS: Parents discussed a wide range of benefits beyond the personal level, including parental, family and societal benefits. Exploratory group comparisons indicated that parents of high school-aged children were more likely to mention family-level and societal benefits. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that raising a child with a disability can trigger role-related decisions that lead to a series of resiliency-related processes and cascading benefits. The findings inform practitioners about the nature of potential positive experiences that can be shared with families starting out on their journey, allowing parents to recognize the positive dimensions of raising a child with a disability in addition to the hardships.
Authors: Erinn H Finke; Jennifer M D Kremkow; Kathryn D R Drager; Angelique Murillo; Laura Richardson; Elizabeth C Serpentine Journal: J Autism Dev Disord Date: 2019-05
Authors: Marcia Van Riper; George J Knafl; Maria do Céu Barbieri-Figueiredo; Maria Caples; Hyunkyung Choi; Gert de Graaf; Elysângela Dittz Duarte; Junko Honda; Elena Marta; Supapak Phetrasuwan; Sara Alfieri; Margareth Angelo; Wannee Deoisres; Louise Fleming; Aline Soares Dos Santos; Maria João Rocha da Silva; Beth Skelton; Shelley van der Veek; Kathleen A Knafl Journal: J Fam Nurs Date: 2020-12-04 Impact factor: 3.818