This research examined relationships and positive growth in families of children who have a developmental disability. Chapter one is a critical review of the literature relating to positive growth in parents of children who have a developmental disability. Past studies have indicated that having a child with a developmental disability can be both stressful for parents and place increased pressures on their time, energy and resources. However, this review of more recent research about the experience of having a child with a developmental disability highlights the range of positive growth experiences parents undergo and some of the possible processes involved. Positive growth experiences reported included changes in parental perceptions of their growth, changes in belief systems, increased sense of coherence and increased hope. Resilience, reframing coping strategies, meaning-making and social support were all implicated in this positive growth process. Clinically, the value of strengths-based services for families emerged. Chapter two is an empirical study, focusing on the maternal experience of a family based Lego Therapy intervention amongst five families who have a child who is on the autism spectrum. Qualitative analysis of interview data resulted in themes of family specific factors (communication, new perspectives, deeper relationships), child-specific factors (impact of the child's ASD, child-specific developments) and intervention-specific factors (ambivalence about the intervention, time). Methodological· and clinical implications are discussed, alongside recommendations for future research. Chapter three is a reflective paper focusing on the individual differences to emerge amongst families and the clinical and methodological implications of this.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:560208 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Peckett, Helen |
| Publisher | University of Warwick |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/73551/ |
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