The purpose of this study was to examine the joyful lived experiences of mothers of children with special needs (CSN). Mothers, who are most identified as the primary caregivers of children with special needs, are subject to marginalization because of the societal perspective that having a disability is wrong and that care giving for a child with a disability is dominated by challenge or burden. This study gave voice to mothers of children with special needs so the joys of being a mother of a CSN can be better known and understood by medical, educational, and social service practitioners. The findings resulted in a reflective transformative adult learning model that practitioners can integrate into their discourse with mothers of a CSN. The qualitative research method autoethnography was used to reveal the mothers’ joyful experiences. Both internal and external data were collected from five mothers who were purposively sampled from a support group that is located in suburban Indianapolis, Indiana and from the researcher, also a mother to a child with special needs. External data in the form of transcribed interviews including personal writings of the mothers and internal data in the form of reflexive researcher field notes and personal writings were subject to analysis using the constant comparison method. The findings revealed that mothers of a CSN do experience challenges, but they have learned to find joy through the unique strengths of themselves and their children. They have discovered a purpose and have been transformed by their children. As a result of that transformation, they recognize that their children’s joy is their joy and that joy is defined as the “simple things” they and their children engage in. These simple and unique joys, however, require planning and collaboration. The researcher called those practitioners in the medical, educational, and social service communities to use the reflective practice of writing as a way to better understand how important joy is for mothers of a CSN so practitioners can transform their treatments, education, and services to include joy. / Department of Educational Studies

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on September 19, 2008). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - James Cook University, 2005. / Typescript (photocopy) Bibliography: leaves 290-307.

Thesis (M.M.)--Michigan State University, 2007. / Adviser: Frederick Tims. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Augmentative and Alternative Communication))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Cochlear implants are electronic devices implanted in the ear, which can give children with severe to profound hearing loss, access to sound and the opportunity to aquire spoken language. Such implants are achieved via a delicate surgical procedure, followed by an intensive rehabilitation program. Parents are intimately involved in this entire process and play a pivotal role in terms of decision-making, the surgery and the child’s language development. Research has shown that this procedure causes increased stress levels in parents, as well as an initial experience of mixed emotions. They also have to consider that some cochlear implants are not successful and thus do not provide all children with access to sound and the possibility of learning spoken language. Parents’ first contact with professional services/persons is generally doctors, ear, nose and throat specialists, audiologists, speech therapists and social workers. Further research shows that the relationship between such professionals and parents is not always satisfactory. As mothers often work closest with professionals, the following research questions arose: How do mothers experience the emotional support they receive during the diagnosis, implantation procedure and rehabilitation, and what are their emotional needs during this time? Because of a lack of literature concerning the role of educational psychologists in this process, a third question arose: What role can the educational psychologist play during the diagnosis of deafness and the cochlear implant process? The purpose of this generic qualitative study, therefore, was to analyze, describe and explain the experience of eight mothers of children with cochlear implants, with regard to support and support needs. The study was conducted within the interpretive paradigm, which guided the qualitative research design. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. The interview data were transcribed and analyzed. The data analysis was done by using aspects of grounded theory. The findings show that mothers’ experiences of the process were unique, as the situation of each family differed. The eight mothers’ needs for emotional support also differed because of their unique experiences. Furthermore, a lack of support to parents after the rehabilitation process, just before children start primary school, was identified, and it was established that the educational psychologist can play a role in this phase and transition phases. Recommendations were made to improve the support mothers receive from professional services or people.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2007. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-131). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR39061

Research literature indicates that parents of children with disabilities have different effects from and perceptions of their children’s disabilities. Evidence also suggests that mothers and fathers experience different effects from their child’s disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in stress levels between Kuwaiti fathers and mothers about their children with specific learning disabilities (SLD). The research utilized a descriptive survey design that employed a mixed methodology of both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. A sample size of 182 parents comprised of 91 fathers and 91 mothers participated in the study. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic characteristics of the participants and their children with SLD. Descriptive statistics were also used to demonstrate participants’ responses toward the open-ended questions that were included in the qualitative section, while the t-test and repeated-measured MANOVA were used to examine the differences in stress levels between the Kuwaiti parents in the quantitative section. The outcome of the research revealed that there were significant differences in overall stress levels between Kuwaiti fathers and mothers about their children with SLD. The findings of this study showed that overall mothers have significantly higher stress levels than fathers, and they have higher stress levels specifically about the child’s characteristics (Child Domain) and also the parents’ characteristics (Parent Domain) as well. The researcher suggests that ministries of education and ministries of health in Kuwait and the Gulf Area need to provide effective programs that improve the quality of life of parents of children with disabilities and meet the needs of children with disabilities and their families. Parents of children with disabilities need governmental and other program models that support their efforts on behalf of their children with disabilities and decrease the unhealthy stress levels that these parents might experience. / Department of Special Education

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-52 ).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 2009. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-109). Issued in print and online. Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations.