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Parents’ descriptions and experiences of young children recently diagnosed with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- BOSTROM P.K., BROBERG M., HWANG P.
- Journal article citation:
- Child: Care, Health and Development, 36(1), January 2010, pp.93-100.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Previous research has established that the intellectual disability of a child affects parents in both positive and negative ways. The aim of this study was to explore the variation of parents' descriptions and experiences of their child that was recently identified to have an intellectual disability. The study applied interpretative phenomenological analysis and analysis of narrative style looking at content and form of parental narratives. Data was collected from nine fathers and eight mothers through semi-structured interviews within 6 months following diagnosis. Analysis revealed three factors indicating the parents' level of processing: (1) emotional expressions regarding the child, varying between limited (distanced or idealised) and balanced/affectionate; (2) experience of the disability, varying between preoccupation and acceptance; and (3) time orientation, varying in terms of flexibility and temporal focus. Although parents of children with ID describe negative emotions in relation to the child and the disability, most of these parents also describe positive emotions that seemed to balance the negative experiences. Parents may require professional help in dealing with the difficulties related to uncertainties regarding the child’s diagnosis or prognosis.