engleski

Some aspects of parenting adult persons with disability

Parenting a child with disability is a great challenge. When those children become adults, parents’ worries and fears do not disappear nor do they diminish. New questions and problems arise with every life stage a child enters, so parents often feel emotionally and physically exhausted. Globally speaking, there are few studies on this topic, and in Croatia we have almost none. The aim of this study was to get the insight into some aspects of parenting adults with disability. Also, differences between those parents regarding different types and degrees of an adult child’s disability are examined. Both quantitative and qualitative approach was used in this research, conducted in 2015. In the quantitative part of this research we tested in total 300 parents of adult persons with disability. They filled a questionnaire about certain quality of life dimensions (family structure, forms of support, their needs, some aspects of parenthood, spirituality). Qualitative part of the research was consisted of conducting the semi-structured interview with 20 parents. Through the interview they expressed their experiences in raising a child with disability and providing care for an adult child, as well as their thoughts on the future challenges. The results of this study provide us an insight into various determinants of parenting adult persons with disability. We got a good understanding on what kind of difficulties and fears parents of adult persons with disability have to face on a daily basis, as well as the level and type of support they need. These findings will contribute to the scientific knowledge and provide the insight into parenting adult with disability in the national context, but can also be a guideline for policy holders and practitioners who work with these families.

parents of adult persons with disability ; social support ; quality of life ; future challenges

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