60 research outputs found

    The challenges experienced by parents when parenting a child with hearing loss within a South African context

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    The purpose of the current study was to explore the challenges experienced by hearing parents when parenting a child with hearing loss. Using a qualitative purposive sampling design, interviews were conducted with 13 parents (9 mothers, 4 fathers) residing in Cape Town, South Africa. Four salient themes emerged, namely: 1) communication is difficult, hard, and frustrating; 2) lack of knowledge and information about hearing loss makes it difficult to parent; 3) little or no support makes for a lonely journey; and 4) support identified by parents for parents. The findings of the study have important implications for collaboration and partnerships between parents and health and family practitioners within South Africa for the design and development of supportive interventions for parents parenting a child with hearing loss

    The association of adverse life events and parental mental health with emotional and behavioral outcomes in young adults with autism spectrum disorder

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    People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk of developing co-occurring mental health difficulties across the lifespan. Exposure to adverse life events and parental mental health difficulties are known risk factors for developing a range of mental health difficulties. This study investigates the association of adverse life events, parental stress and mental health with emotional and behavioral problems in young adults with ASD. One hundred and fifteen young adults with ASD derived from a population-based longitudinal study were assessed at three time-points (12-, 16-, and 23-year) on questionnaire measures of emotional and behavioral problems. Parent-reported exposure to adverse life events and parental stress/mental health were measured at age 23. We used structural equation modeling to investigate the stability of emotional and behavioral problems over time, and the association between adverse life events and parental stress and mental health and emotional and behavioral outcomes at 23-year. Our results indicate that exposure to adverse life events was significantly associated with increased emotional and behavioral problems in young adults with ASD, while controlling for symptoms in childhood and adolescence. Higher reported parental stress and mental health difficulties were associated with a higher frequency of behavioral, but not emotional problems, and did not mediate the impact of adverse life events. These results suggest that child and adolescent emotional and behavioral problems, exposure to life events and parent stress and mental health are independently associated, to differing degrees, with emotional or behavioral outcomes in early adulthood. Lay Summary: People with autism experience high rates of mental health difficulties throughout childhood and into adult life. Adverse life events and parental stress and mental health may contribute to poor mental health in adulthood. We used data at three time points (12-, 16-, and 23-year) to understand how these factors relate to symptoms at 23-year. We found that emotional and behavioral problems in childhood, adverse life events and parent mental health were all associated with increased emotional and behavioral problems in adulthood

    Stress among parents of children with and without autism spectrum disorder: a comparison involving physiological indicators and parent self-reports

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    Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been reported as experiencing higher levels of stress and poorer physical health than parents of typically developing children. However, most of the relevant literature has been based on parental self-reports of stress and health. While research on physiological outcomes has grown in recent years, gaps still exist in our understanding of the physiological effects, if any, of stress related to parenting a child with ASD. The present study compared parent-reported stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as selected physiological measures of stress (i.e., cortisol, alpha-amylase, and ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate) between matched groups of parents of children with (N = 38) and without (N = 38) ASD. Participants completed questionnaires, collected saliva samples for the purpose of measuring cortisol and alpha-amylase, and wore an ambulatory blood pressure monitor for 24 h. Parents of children with ASD reported significantly higher levels of parental distress, anxiety, and depression than parents of typically developing children. Parent-reported distress, anxiety, depression, and health were not correlated with physiological measures. With the exception that parents of children with ASD had significantly lower cortisol levels 30 min after waking, no other significant group differences were found for physiological measures. Parents of children with ASD reported significantly higher use of a number of adaptive coping strategies (e.g., emotional support) in comparison to parents of typically developing children. Results are discussed in the context of implications for future research directions, stress research, and practical implications for parental support

    Relationships among deaf/hard-of-hearing siblings: developing a sense of self

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    While sibling relationships are known to be important for children's social and emotional well-being, little is known about sibling relationships when both siblings are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH). In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 young DHH adults (20-30 years old) who had studied in mainstream schools to explore their retrospective experiences of growing up with a DHH sibling. Interviews were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Findings revealed two superordinate themes: (1) sibling relationship and sense of self and (2) family coping and relationships, with each superordinate theme containing several subthemes. Findings highlighted the various ways sibling relationships contribute to siblings' psychological development, identity formation, and coping with deafness. Potential challenges were identifed, as well as the role of parents' attitudes and coping with hearing loss in promoting supportive sibling relationships. Parents and professionals should be aware of the valuable and unique aspects of DHH siblingship and attend to imporatnt relationship asepcts such as sibling communication, sibling comparisons, and parental differential treatment.Pathways through Adolescenc

    Resilience from childhood to young adulthood: retrospective perspectives of deaf and hard of hearing people who studied in regular schools

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    ObjectiveMost deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) youth grow up in hearing familial and educational environments, posing unique risks for their socio-emotional well-being. The study's objective was to explore protective processes contributing to resilience among DHH individuals in different life periods.DesignWe conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 DHH young adults on their life-long coping with having a hearing loss (HL).Main outcome measuresThematic analysis identified, according to participants' retrospective perceptions, processes that supported their positive adjustment from childhood up to early adulthood.ResultsThemes were organised at three ecological levels: individual, including five subthemes (e.g. certain attitudes to HL); family, including various types of parental support; and community, including four subthemes (e.g. extra-curricular activities). Family and community level resources enabled and nurtured personal attitudes and coping abilities. The perceptions of which personal attitudes and contextual resources were helpful changed from childhood to young adulthood.ConclusionsFindings show how resilience is heterogeneously promoted in the unique context of DHH individuals living in hearing environments. They also show interactions between the individual, family and wider society and the dynamics of coping resources across time. Findings indicate the important of considering DHH individuals' coping choices in their specific life context.Pathways through Adolescenc
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