Parents' experience of having a child with autism and learning disabilities living in a group home: A case study.
Author
Summary, in English
Some children with autism and learning disabilities also
have aberrant behaviours that are difficult to regulate and stressful for
both the child and family members. This case study concerns experiences
of 10 parents from five families before and 2 years after entrusting
their 10- to 11-year-old child with autism to a group home.
Hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of narrative interviews with
the parents before the child’s moving showed them experiencing grief
and sorrow, total exhaustion because of inability to regulate their
child’s behaviours, social isolation, and negative effects on the child’s
siblings, but experiencing themselves as more sympathetic than previously
towards other people with problems. Two years later they experienced
relief for the family due to the group home arrangement and
the child’s improvement, but with an ethical dilemma which made
them feel guilty, despite increased hope for the future. Some also felt
unhappy with the staff situation at the group home.
have aberrant behaviours that are difficult to regulate and stressful for
both the child and family members. This case study concerns experiences
of 10 parents from five families before and 2 years after entrusting
their 10- to 11-year-old child with autism to a group home.
Hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of narrative interviews with
the parents before the child’s moving showed them experiencing grief
and sorrow, total exhaustion because of inability to regulate their
child’s behaviours, social isolation, and negative effects on the child’s
siblings, but experiencing themselves as more sympathetic than previously
towards other people with problems. Two years later they experienced
relief for the family due to the group home arrangement and
the child’s improvement, but with an ethical dilemma which made
them feel guilty, despite increased hope for the future. Some also felt
unhappy with the staff situation at the group home.
Department/s
Publishing year
2006
Language
English
Pages
629-641
Publication/Series
Autism
Volume
10
Issue
6
Full text
- Available as PDF - 81 kB
- Download statistics
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Topic
- Nursing
Keywords
- respite
- parents
- group home
- exhaustion
- autism
- Sweden
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1362-3613