The Experiences of Parents Raising Children with Developmental Disabilities in Ethiopia

Autor/inn/en	Tekola, Bethlehem; Kinfe, Mersha; Girma Bayouh, Fikirte; Hanlon, Charlotte; Hoekstra, Rosa A.
Titel	The Experiences of Parents Raising Children with Developmental Disabilities in Ethiopia
Quelle	In: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 27 (2023) 2, S.539-551 (13 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Tekola, Bethlehem) ORCID (Hoekstra, Rosa A.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1362-3613
DOI	10.1177/13623613221105085
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Parents; Children; Developmental Disabilities; Experience; Child Rearing; Cultural Background; Religious Factors; Religion; Beliefs; Social Attitudes; Barriers; One Parent Family; Mothers; Poverty; Family Relationship; Social Life; Positive Attitudes; Disability Identification; Ethiopia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Eltern; Child; Kind; Kinder; Entwicklungsstörung; Erfahrung; Kindererziehung; Belief; Glaube; Social attidude; Soziale Einstellung; Single parent family; Ein-Eltern-Familie; Mother; Mutter; Armut; Soziales Leben; Äthiopien
Abstract	The experiences of parents raising children with developmental disabilities have been widely researched, although most of this research comes from Western, high-income countries. In comparison, little is known about the lived experiences of parents of children with developmental disabilities in low- and middle-income countries and in Africa in particular. Parents' lived experiences can provide insights into local conceptualizations of developmental disabilities, challenges children and their families face and their needs. This study explores the experiences of parents (14 mothers and 4 fathers) raising children with developmental disabilities in urban and rural Ethiopia using in-depth interviews. Cultural and religious beliefs played a role in the types of delays or differences in their child's development that parents noticed early and the kinds of support they sought. Parents experienced stigma and lack of understanding from others. Their experiences regarding some of the challenges they faced such as lack of appropriate services varied based on where they lived (urban or rural). Single mothers especially were faced with multiple and intersecting struggles including poverty, stigma, and lack of social support. Implications for future research and interventions that aim to increase knowledge about developmental disabilities, tackle stigma and improve the lives of children and their families are discussed. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01