Caregiving for a Child with Multiple Disabilities: A Mother's Story

Author

Shana Cole, University of the PacificFollow

Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Educational Administration and Leadership

First Advisor

Delores E. McNair

First Committee Member

Christina Rusk

Second Committee Member

Diane Carnahan

Third Committee Member

Heidi Stevenson

Abstract

Multiple disabilities does not just affect the individual, it affects caregivers as well. Once a child and parent receives the diagnosis of multiple disabilities they find themselves in a new territory, a new mindset. This study is a longitudinal autoethnographic personal narrative of a mother of a child with multiple disabilities using an intimate inquiry framework. Intimate inquiry allowed me as the researcher to explore my experiences as a reflection of the culture of caregivers of children with multiple disabilities. The purpose of this research was to attempt to understand what it means to raise a child with multiple disabilities from the inside with regards to the positive and negative transformations associated with raising and educating a child with multiple disabilities while achieving personal growth. Findings from my autoethnography suggest that caregivers from all aspects of the child’s life (family, home, school, child care, medical professionals) may share similar experiences and reactions addressed in the themes I identified. While this study specifically relates to caregiving for a child with multiple disabilities, it has the potential to relate to caregivers of any nature; those caring for their children, a spouse, or a parent or other family member.

Pages

159

Recommended Citation

Cole, Shana. (2020). Caregiving for a Child with Multiple Disabilities: A Mother's Story. University of the Pacific, Dissertation. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/3696