"We're tired, not sad": benefits and burdens of mothering a child with a disability.

Mothering children who have disabilities: a Bourdieusian interpretation of maternal practices.

The Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center was funded by the Office of Special Education Programs to promote the development and implementation of child and family outcome measures for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities. An evidence-based process with extensive stakeholder input led to the identification of five outcomes by which the effectiveness of services for families could be assessed: (a) families understand their child's strengths, abilities, and special needs; (b) families know their rights and advocate effectively for their child; (c) families help their child develop and learn; (d) families have support systems; and (e) families are able to gain access to desired services and activities in their community. These outcomes provide a framework by which states and the federal government could document whether early intervention and preschool programs are providing demonstrable benefits for families, and provide the basis for developing measurement systems to determine the extent to...

Recommended Outcomes for Families of Young Children with Disabilities.

Background In this longitudinal study, we examined the relationship between the sources and functions of social support and dimensions of child- and parent-related stress for mothers of young children with mild developmental delays. Methods Sixty-three mothers completed assessments of stress and support at two time points. Results Multiple regression analyses revealed that parenting support during the early childhood period (i.e. advice on problems specific to their child and assistance with child care responsibilities), irrespective of source, consistently predicted most dimensions of parent stress assessed during the early elementary years and contributed unique variance. General support (i.e. primarily emotional support and validation) from various sources had other, less widespread effects on parental stress. Conclusions The multidimensional perspective of the construct of social support that emerged suggested mechanisms mediating the relationship between support and stress and provided a framework for intervention.

http://depts.washington.edu/chdd/guralnick/pdfs/Relationship_Between_Sources_Functions_Social_Support%20-%20Dimenions_of_Child-.pdf

The relationship between sources and functions of social support and dimensions of child- and parent-related stress

Receiving a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder often elicits strong emotional reactions from parents of the diagnosed child. Follow-up services and continued support for these families is a necessary component to help families adapt and meet their and their children's needs. This pilot study measured the effects of a six-session, co-facilitated, support group on the advocacy skills and self-efficacy of parents coping with a child's diagnosis. Statistically significant increases in the average mean scores for the three subscales of the Family Empowerment Scale were found. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Family Support and Empowerment: Post Autism Diagnosis Support Group for Parents

&NA; Raising a child with a congenital anomaly or other chronic medical problem challenges families. Although most families are resilient, depending on families' relative balance of strengths and vulnerabilities, chronic child health conditions can contribute to problems with parenting and family relationships. We believe interventions can broadly promote family well‐being by focusing on parental emotional, cognitive, and behavioral adaptation to their child's condition. Parents' adaptation to their child's diagnosis has been found to predict both family well‐being and their child's attachment security. After reviewing these and other relevant findings on families with children with chronic medical conditions, the second half of this article describes a parent group intervention designed to promote adaptation among such families. The rationale, goals, and guidelines of this 8‐session intervention are provided. Considerations and unanswered questions about implementing the intervention are also discussed.

http://depts.washington.edu/isei/iyc/barnett_16_3.pdf

Janice Fialka

Papers

Building New Dreams Supporting Parents' Adaptation to Their Child With Special Needs