<p> The purpose of this study was to investigate and report the lived experiences of parents of twice exceptional (2e) children, utilizing participatory action research (PAR) methods. The primary question this study sought to answer was how parents of 2e children feel about parenting their children. A total of 20 parents participated in a PAR group and conducted research through telling their own stories, participating in a one-on-one interview, conducting a parenting survey, and developing artifacts for educating others about the characteristics and needs of 2e persons. The duration of this study was 12 months, during which time, the PAR members met monthly for three to four hours per meeting. </p><p> Key findings of this study indicate: 2e persons see themselves as a distinct special needs group; there are common characteristics and behaviors among 2e persons; 2e persons are a marginalized community; there is a lack of knowledge about 2e persons among academic, medical, and therapeutic professionals, consequently, parents of 2e children do not feel they can rely on them for support; parents of 2e children feel their children are often rejected and ostracized by others; they struggle to find ways to help their children be accepted by their extended family, community, and society at large; parents of 2e children experience high levels of stress as they work to mitigate societal barriers to their children's success; forming a community of like-minded parents offered the best form of support; while the PAR group realities were different from the idealized model, it offered an appropriate method for gathering data on parenting 2e children, as members felt comfortable researching with their community, rather than being objects of research; PAR group members saw themselves as activists and developed strategies for advocating for 2e persons.</p><p> These findings have implications for parents, educators, and medical/therapeutic practitioners, as they serve to illuminate characteristics, issues, and possible solutions for advocating and serving the needs of 2e persons. This study may also serve as a model for further PAR research, as it discusses the reality of the members' PAR experiences, compared with the suggested ideal PAR methods found in the literature.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10101058 |
| Date | 03 May 2016 |
| Creators | Hayes, Melanie Johnson |
| Publisher | Saint Mary's College of California |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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