<p> </p><p>With this study I wanted to capture the experience of support and increase the knowledge of what it means for women who are living with a husband who suffers from dementia. To do so I conducted four interviews and used an informal questionnaire. The result shows that there are four key words that can symbolize what the women experience as support: communica-tion, freedom, understanding and knowledge. The women’s experience of support range from meaningful and secure to not satisfying and complicated. Living with a husband who suffers from dementia has made their lives very different from before. But even if they sometimes are in a tough situation they want to take care of their husbands. Being able to go away a few hours or half a day once a week, can sometimes be enough and gives the women a sense of satisfaction. On the other hand it is not certain that the support offered is what the women need or that it is satisfactory for the husband. The link between the women’s experience of support and that of their husband is strong. And if the husband is not pleased nor will the wife be.</p>

Introduction: There is growing evidence that many parents with learning disabilities, when given adequate support, can parent successfully. Childbirth is a significant life event that marks a woman's transition to motherhood and is a time when parents first learn to nurture their children. Postnatal care aims to facilitate this learning experience as well as promote the emotional and physical well-being of both infant and mother. To date, no research has explored the support mothers with learning disabilities receive during the postnatal period. To fill this gap in the research and help inform service provision, this study aims to explore how mothers with learning disabilities experience postnatal care. Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six mothers with learning disabilities. The data were collected and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Mothers experiences of postnatal care were conceptualised within four superordinate themes: challenges of providing support, how support was delivered , learning to cope and challenges to building trust. All of these had accompanying subthemes. Discussion: The results are discussed in the context of relevant literature. Consistent with previous research which has been carried out with parents with learning disabilities, participants were found to be highly dependent on informal support. The participants acknowledged the value of professional input and their perceptions of how this support was delivered had important implications. Learning how to cope with the demands of their new role raised issues not dissimilar to those of parents without learning disabilities. Challenges, however, were faced in establishing trusting relationships with professionals. The findings were found to have implications for clinical practice which are described and suggestions for future research made. Conclusion: The findings suggest that participant informal supports play a key role during the initial stages of parenthood particularly with providing practical support in areas which present challenges. Professional input was valued when delivered according to the typical pathway of care post-birth. It is recommended that consideration is given to how the support is delivered to participants. This should essentially seek to empower parents rather than undermine them as how support was perceived by parents impacted on their subsequent engagement with professionals.

With this study I wanted to capture the experience of support and increase the knowledge of what it means for women who are living with a husband who suffers from dementia. To do so I conducted four interviews and used an informal questionnaire. The result shows that there are four key words that can symbolize what the women experience as support: communica-tion, freedom, understanding and knowledge. The women’s experience of support range from meaningful and secure to not satisfying and complicated. Living with a husband who suffers from dementia has made their lives very different from before. But even if they sometimes are in a tough situation they want to take care of their husbands. Being able to go away a few hours or half a day once a week, can sometimes be enough and gives the women a sense of satisfaction. On the other hand it is not certain that the support offered is what the women need or that it is satisfactory for the husband. The link between the women’s experience of support and that of their husband is strong. And if the husband is not pleased nor will the wife be.

Recent literature suggests that LGBTQ+ women of color are more likely to raise children or have children in the home compared to White LGBTQ+ women (Gates, 2013, 2015). Most of the LGBTQ+ motherhood research has focused narrowly on one domain of queer motherhood, lesbian mothers' experience of mothering (Bible et al., 2018) and centered on the experiences of White, middle-class, cisgender mothers (Brainer et al., 2020; Manley and Ross, 2020; Reczek, 2020). The interlocking nature of multiple marginalized identities places Black queer mothers at a unique intersection of oppression (Crenshaw, 1991). Exploring the complexity of lived experience among Black mothers who identify with a plurisexual identity (i.e., bi, queer, pan, or fluid; Galupo, 2018) provides family scientists and scholar-practitioners an opportunity to analyze the internal, relational, and institutional influences that reinforce or challenge racism, sexism, and homophobia. The present study sought to understand how Black queer mothers experience motherwork as queer mothers, how they build and navigate networks of support, and how they use community resources. The study was guided by intersectionality rooted within the theoretical framework of Black Feminist Thought, as well as an emphasis on motherwork as both a theoretical framework and a concept explored. Using reflexive thematic analysis, semi- structured interviews (Mtime = 79.63 minutes), photovoice submissions, and photovoice interviews (Mtime = 38.32 minutes) were conducted with 10 participants (8 of the 10 participants completed photovoice). Four key themes were identified (a) Attentiveness and Resistance to Discrimination (subtheme: Active Reflectivity in Parenting Strategies); (b) Promoting Openness of Self-Expression in Child(ren) (subtheme: Queer Identity Helps Foster Acceptance and Intentionality); (c) Negotiating Informal Support (three subthemes: Barriers to Support, Desiring Like-Minded Social Groups, and Boundaries in Close Relationships Are Critical); and (d) Emphasis on Finding the "Right" Environment to Meet Family Needs (subtheme: Utilizing Individual or Couples Therapy). Findings have implications for the family science literature by providing an in-depth, Black feminist understanding of how Black queer mothers engage in queer motherwork, navigate informal support, and strategically access community resources. / Doctor of Philosophy / Recent literature suggests that LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) women of color are more likely to raise children or have children in the home compared to White LGBTQ+ women (Gates, 2013, 2015). Most of the LGBTQ+ motherhood research has focused narrowly on one domain of queer motherhood, lesbian mothers' experience of mothering (Bible et al., 2018) and centered on the experiences of White, middle-class, cisgender mothers (Brainer et al., 2020; Manley and Ross, 2020; Reczek, 2020). Exploring the complexity of lived experience among Black mothers who identify with a plurisexual identity (i.e., bi, queer, pan, or fluid; Galupo, 2018) provides researchers and clinicians an opportunity to consider the internal, relational, and institutional influences that reinforce or challenge marginalization. The present study sought to understand how Black queer mothers experience motherwork (e.g., identity, survival, and power) as queer mothers, how they build and navigate networks of support, and how they use community resources. The study was guided by intersectionality rooted within the theoretical framework of Black Feminist Thought, as well as an emphasis on motherwork as both a theoretical framework and a concept explored. I analyzed data from two individual interviews (including a photo-elicited interview) with 10 participants (8 of the 10 participants completed the second interview) (Braun and Clarke, 2022; Wang and Burris, 1997). Four key themes were identified (a) Attentiveness and Resistance to Discrimination (subtheme: Active Reflectivity in Parenting Strategies); (b) Promoting Openness of Self-Expression in Child(ren) (subtheme: Queer Identity Helps Foster Acceptance and Intentionality); (c) Negotiating Informal Support (three subthemes: Barriers to Support, Desiring Like-Minded Social Groups, and Boundaries in Close Relationships Are Critical); and (d) Emphasis on Finding the "Right" Environment to Meet Family Needs (subtheme: Utilizing Individual or Couples Therapy). Findings have research and clinical implications for how Black queer mothers engage in queer motherwork, navigate informal support, and strategically access community resources.

The continuum of care framework posits that individuals move from one level to the next in seeking resources for help ranging from first using informal support to finally using formal services. Yet, the literature is mostly focused on formal services. It is well-known in the literature that existing formal services are underutilized by the Asian American population. If that is also the case in nontraditional settlement cities like Richmond, Virginia, the continuum of care framework and existing literature suggest that Asian Americans are turning to their informal support networks to meet their needs. Thus far, the literature on informal support networks is very limited and a focus on Asian American communities is nonexistent. Furthermore, there is not an adequate theory to explain and predict this phenomenon. This study uses a grounded theory design to develop a testable theory that could further the understanding of informal support networks in the Asian American community. The theory posits that the Asian culture and community influence how individuals within the community seek help in times of need and, in turn, the helping process developed within the informal support network is a reinforcement of the Asian culture and community. When individuals have needs, they look to the informal support network and the network is developed in response to those needs. However, the informal support network is not able to meet all the needs of the Asian American community. At times, though infrequent, when the informal support network cannot meet the need, individuals are referred to mainstream services. Therefore, the informal support network serves as a gatekeeper to mainstream services. In addition, needs are rarely successfully met directly by mainstream services because of inaccessibility. Consequently, mainstream services provide infrequent help in meeting the needs of the Asian American community. It is important to comprehend how these developing communities in the new South are responding to their own needs. This understanding will allow mainstream services to extend formal systems of care and better partner with existing resources to effectively serve the increasing Asian American population in the South.

Deeper understanding of family health and support after childbirth from the perspective of first-time parents and their informal support network is needed. Postpartum experiences and health concerns of first-time mothers and fathers and, discourses on sexuality and informal support after childbirth were explored in low-income, suburban areas in Ilala, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Individual qualitative interviews with first-time mothers (n=10) and fathers (n=10), and 14 focus group discussions with first-time parents (n=40) and informal support persons (n=42) provided the data, which were analyzed through qualitative content and discourse analysis. First-time parents’ areas of concern were newborn care and hygiene, infant feeding, handling crying infant, maternal nutrition and hygiene, uncertain body changes for the mother and, sexuality. The mothers were burdened with caring responsibilities and fathers felt neglected and excluded from the care of the mother and infant after childbirth, both by the families and the health care system. Sexuality after childbirth created tension between new parents due to the understanding that abstinence would protect child health during the breastfeeding period, which could be several years. Women’s adherence to sexual abstinence was more emphasized compared to men’s. Men’s engagement with other sex partners and the risk of contraction HIV was a threat to family health. First-time parents drew on support from both informal and formal sources. Informal support networks played a major role in providing information, materials, guidance and supervision while conveying stereotypic gender norms. Contradictions in the messages to parents within and between the support systems created uncertainties that might have negative implications for family health. Poor parents and those who did not adherence to the social norms were less likely to get informal support than others were. There is a need for information and practical guidance on basic aspects of care for the mother and infant, male involvement, and the importance of social support to first-time parents, as new parents face physical, social and relational challenges after childbirth. The link between the health care system and informal networks need to be strengthened to enable them to complement each other in promoting family health after child health.

The thesis deals with the issue of the families taking care of an incurably ill children with the particular focus on the support of the parents by the general public. The thesis is divided into two parts. The theoretical part describes the current situation of the families with an incurably ill children in the Czech Republic and their needs and problems as well as the support provided by the society. In addition the theoretical part is focused on the sources of the support by the general public. The practical part contains a qualitative analysis which aims to investigate whether the respondents would provide the support to the families taking care of an incurably ill children or if the respondents would expect to get the support in a difficult life situation.

Cette thèse porte sur le rôle des aidants familiaux dans la prise en charge et les évolutions qu’il devrait connaître dans les années à venir. Premièrement, l’étude d’une cohorte d’individus de plus de 65 ans suivis pendant vingt-deux ans remet en question la capacité des proches à garantir le maintien à domicile des personnes âgées face à la survenue de troubles cognitifs. Puis, une modélisation jointe des décisions d’aide prises au sein des familles d’individus âgés dépendants précise et nuance les effets supposés des évolutions socio-économiques et démographiques actuelles sur l’implication future des membres de la famille. Enfin, l’analyse de la relation entre aide professionnelle et aide familiale à domicile indique qu’une réduction du prix de l’aide formelle ne devrait pas permettre de libérer du temps aux proches mobilisés. Ces résultats suggèrent des pistes d’action publique en vue d’améliorer l’efficience de la prise en charge des personnes âgées dépendantes. / In France, in-home support of the elderly dependents is encouraged and should contribute to the care provided by family members. In this thesis, several microeconometric models are estimated to analyse the role of the family in long-term care for elderly dependents. First, the analysis of a cohort of elderly dependents followed for more than twenty years calls into question the ability of family caregivers to protect their elderly dependent parent against the risk of institutionalisation. Then, a joint model of caregiving decisions within families nuances the effects of current socio-economic and demographic evolution on the future involvement of children. Finally, the study of the relationship between family care and formal home care indicates that a lower price of professional care cannot efficiently contribute to free up time for the informal caregivers. These results fuel thoughts about new public policies devoted to increase the efficiency of long-term care for elderly dependents.

In meiner Dissertation untersuche ich, inwiefern sich der Zugang zu individuellen Absicherungsmöglichkeiten auf die informellen Unterstützungsnetzwerke zwischen Haushalten auswirkt. Diese Forschungsfrage ist vor dem Hintergrund der rasanten wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung vieler vormalig einkommensschwacher Länder von besonderer Relevanz. Sowohl um Voraussagen machen zu können, wie diese Entwicklung die soziale Struktur verändert als auch um Wohlfahrtseffekte spezifizieren zu können, ist es wichtig die Beziehung zwischen dem Zugang zu individuellen Absicherungsmöglichkeiten und der Nutzung informeller Unterstützungsnetzwerke zu verstehen. In dieser Arbeit erforsche ich diese Beziehung unter drei Gesichtspunkten. In der ersten Studie, untersuche ich die Struktur des Unterstützungsnetzwerks eines Fischerdorfes in den Philippinen. Ausgehend von einem theoretischen Netzwerkmodell, analysiere ich die Faktoren, die dazu führen, dass zwei Haushalte sich im Falle eines Schocks auf den jeweils anderen verlassen, wobei der Fokus auf dem Zugang zu alternativen Absicherungsmöglichkeiten liegt. In der zweiten Studie untersuche ich gezielt, inwieweit die Bereitschaft jemanden zu unterstützen davon beeinflusst wird, ob dieser Zugang zu individuellen Absicherungsmöglichkeiten hat. Dies wird mit Hilfe eines lab-in-the-field-Experimentes, das im ländlichen Kambodscha durchgeführt wurde, analysiert. In der dritten Studie verknüpfe ich die Unterstützungs-Entscheidungen aus dem Experiment mit dem tatsächlichen Unterstützungsnetzwerk der Experimentteilnehmer und untersuche, ob die Struktur der persönlichen sozialen Netzwerke das Verhalten im Experiment erklären kann. Zusammengefasst zeigen die drei Studien, dass mit dem Zugang zu individuellen Absicherungsmöglichkeiten Anreize abnehmen können, in informelle Unterstützungsnetzwerke zu investieren oder altruistisch Unterstützung zu gewähren. Dies hat direkte Auswirkungen auf die lokale Sozialstruktur. / In this thesis, I investigate how access to resources can affect the formation of informal support arrangements between households. This question is of particular relevance in the light of the rapid economic development that many former low-income countries recently experienced, which goes hand in hand with increasing possibilities for the population to cope with hardships individually. An understanding of the relationship between informal support and access to alternative risk management resources is crucial in order to make predictions about how this development can affect the social structure, and to specify welfare effects. In the thesis, I investigate this relationship from three different angles. First, I study the structure of mutual support arrangements in a fishing village on the Philippines (Chapter 2). Based on a model of strategic link formation I investigate which factors explain that two households engage in a mutual support arrangement with a focus on the role of households' alternative resources. In a second study, I investigate how the willingness to provide support can be affected by the availability of alternative resources, in particular individual insurance (Chapter 3). This is analyzed based on a lab-in-the-field experiment conducted in Cambodia. Different to the first study, the second study focuses on social preference motivated support. The last study conceptually links the first two studies. I relate the subjects' support decisions observed in the experiment back to the subjects' engagement in mutual support arrangements in real life and thus put the behavior in context to the social structure (Chapter 4). In summary, the studies show that with access to individual risk management options, the incentives to engage in mutual support arrangements as well as social preference motivated support can reduce, which has a direct impact on the local social structure.

This qualitative exploratory research study examined the experiences of older women (over age 55) whose husbands had been admitted to a personal care home (PCH) in Winnipeg, Manitoba within the previous twelve (12) months. In-depth, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with six (6) women. Socialist feminist and feminist caregiving theoretical frameworks along with narrative analysis were used gain insight into the participants’ needs surrounding their experiences of the admission. Findings include the fact that changes in women’s formal and informal supports began occurring years before their husbands’ admissions. The all-encompassing role as caregiver for their families continued to be central in their lives even after the admission. While women met their material and emotional needs through a range of formal and informal services, the participants were more likely to see needs met through informal means. Themes emerging from the research included those of guilt, entitlement, obligation, and reciprocity.