Phenomenological Approach to Uncover Paternal Stress of Disabled Children

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Phenomenological Approach to Uncover Paternal Stress of Disabled Children

Children with disabilities experience levels of stress due to the mental and physical challenges; society does not intake a parent’s experience. Parental stress, from the parent of a disabled child, exhibit higher levels of stress compared to a parent with a non-disabled child (Cuzzocrea, Murdaca., Filippello, & Larcan, 2016). Stressors between a parent with a non-disabled child and a disabled child are diverse. A parent with a non-disabled child may experience usual stressors, such as instructing their child to maintain a clean bedroom, remind them to do their chores, redirecting negative behaviors, etc. However, a parent of a disabled child handles challenges. Depending on the child’s diagnosis, challenges can be redirecting a child from repeatedly hitting their face (self-harm), low cognitive development, nonverbal no matter how many communication lessons, physical impairments that some children cannot walk or in some cases need assistance feeding themselves, and so on. Due to the unique and various physical and mental impairments, parents need to adjust their lifestyle so they can accommodate their disabled child. Accommodating their child is not as simple as most may observe. Parents can experience financial burdens, depression, exhaustion, stereotyped (some religious beliefs view disability as punishment), feelings of social isolation (cultures’ pity and stigma), and concerns about lifelong care or other challenges of the child (Lindo, Kliemann, Combes, & Frank, 2016). When a parent experiences stress, the child can also be affected by it. Affectively addressing parental stress is crucial for the enhancement of a child’s well‐being and functioning within the family and larger society as well as for the parents’ well‐being (Lindo, Kliemann, Combes, & Frank, 2016). Recognizably, stress isn’t pleasurable nor comfortable; it can negatively affect the mind and body. A qualitative research method could benefit the study of the parental stress the parents of a disabled child experience. It can also evaluate the best intervention for parents to cope with it. Qualitative research is a form of inquiry that analyzes the information (non-numerical) conveyed through language and behavior in the natural environment (Monette, Sullivan, & DeJong, 2013). This method can also gather information regarding culture, emotions, values, beliefs, etc. Qualitative research comes in many different approaches and can be conducted as open-minded questions because the answers can provide beneficial information. This is one of the advantages of phenomenology; it is a tradition that includes a variety of approaches and encourages individuality and creativity, primary interest of human life experiences (Hopkins, Roger, & Pratt, 2017).  Based on this research, a phenomenological interview is believed that this qualitative method is suited effective for this research. Phenomenological method can provide insight on a behavior or situation. Phenomenology allows us to understand and appreciate educational issues by exploring the unique experiences and perspectives of individuals involved in the process (Hopkins, Regehr, & Pratt, 2017). This method conducts its research with interviews, observe backgrounds, exploring locations, participating in similar events, in order to understand the parent’s stress. Phenomenological method will rely on the parents’ outlook of the study (Monette, Sullivan, & DeJong, 2013). The difference from other qualitative methods, phenomenological research doesn’t begin its study with a theory. The practitioner will choose between which type of phenomenological approach to conduct in the research. They’re hermeneutic interpretation of the texts in order to explore lived experiences and transcendental focuses on parents’ meaning of an experience of a situation (Chrisflip. 2014). An example of a hermeneutic question could be, “what experienced stressors that parents of a disabled child have,” that is interpreted through written material such as past research, internet written blogs, social media, such as Facebook. Transcendental phenomenology is more directed, asking for example, “what is it like to be a parent of a disable child,” or, “what stressors parents of disabled children experience and how they handle those stressors?” For this research, transcendental phenomenology is beneficial. Once a phenomenology is chosen, the practitioner will begin this phase called bracketing. Bracketing is where the practitioner has to get of their own perceptive and personal experiences to truly understand the phenomenon of the subjects that are part of the research (Chrisflip, 2014). According to my experience, I researched paternal stress of my proposal of what and how to manage parental stress as a parent of a disabled child. Although I personally know and understand the paternal stress, I have to place my feelings and experiences aside for me to personally experience other parent’s feelings and experiences. This step is choosing the appropriate subjects in this research study. Although paternal stress is directed to parents of the disabled child, paternal stress can also be directed to any caretaker of the disabled child. This can be grandparents, other family members, foster parents, perhaps teachers, daycare teachers, and other care-takers that is always around the child. The number of subjects can be at least five interviews, however, the larger number of subjects to interview to conduct can be useful until there is no newer information to case-note. In the interview, it should consist at least one or two open-ended questions related to the phenomenon, or in this case, being a parent of a disabled child. The rest of the interview questions will still relate to the phenomenon, only to be asked with a different type of question. The interview can consist of a certain amount of questions that is decided on the practitioner. It is best to keep the interview short and not complicated or confusing to respond to in order to receive a positive statement from the interview. After all interviews are completed, the practitioner will need to complete a data analysis. Data analysis utilizes horizonalization. This is considered “significant statements” gathered from the interview that describe the experience of the fo….