Supporting Parents of Preschoolers with Disabilities: An Investigation of Parents' Perceptions and Use of Formal and Informal Supports

Autor/in	Gaspar, Catherine Rogers
Titel	Supporting Parents of Preschoolers with Disabilities: An Investigation of Parents' Perceptions and Use of Formal and Informal Supports
Quelle	In: Dimensions of Early Childhood, 51 (2023) 2, S.23-27 (5 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1068-6177
Schlagwörter	Child Rearing; Young Children; Disabilities; Preschool Education; Students with Disabilities; Needs; School Role; Special Education; Parent Attitudes; Social Support Groups + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Kindererziehung; Frühe Kindheit; Handicap; Behinderung; Pre-school education; Vorschulerziehung; Student; Students; Disability; Disabilities; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Grundbedürfnis; Special needs education; Sonderpädagogik; Sonderschulwesen; Elternverhalten; Social support; Soziale Unterstützung
Abstract	Parenting a child with a disability can be stressful, and research has shown that burdens related to that care may overload parents and have negative effects on their quality of life. Thus, it is important to support families beginning early in their parenting experience and provide them with a strong foundation of tools and information. This study was an exploratory investigation of parent support structures in early childhood special education and examined the perceptions of support from parents/caregivers of preschoolers with disabilities. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, three ecological contexts (school, system, and social) were identified as potential sources of support. Of the three, parents reported higher feelings of support from school and system and indicated a variety of specific supports from these contexts that they found helpful. Findings demonstrate the positive influence of informal support. Expanding awareness and reach of parent-to-parent (P2P) programs, where parents of children with disabilities support one another and develop a community through social events, social media, trainings, and mentoring, may further empower parents and offer them community and sources of coping and support. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Southern Early Childhood Association. PO Box 8109 Jacksonville, AR 72078. Tel: 501-221-1648. e-mail: info@seca.info; Web site: www.seca.info/dimensions
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01