Families and disability: Being resilient together. An exploratory research on the reciprocal representations of families and educators

TitleFamilies and disability: Being resilient together. An exploratory research on the reciprocal representations of families and educators
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsEverri M, Franchomme L, Gandini R
JournalInterdisciplinary Journal of Family Studies
Volume16
Issue2
Pagination73-89
Date Published12/2011
PublisherPadova University Press
Place PublishedPadova, IT
ISSN Number2282-2011
Keywordsdisability, family relations, implicit theories, qualitative research, resilience
Abstract

This article presents a qualitative research intended to explore the characteristics of the relationship between educators of educational/rehabilitation services, children with disability and their family members. Specifically, we considered: (a) the educators’ implicit theories, or representations, of families with a child with disability and their effect on the educators’ professional practices, (b) the family representations of the educational/rehabilitation services and (c) the processes of resilience activated to cope with the disability. Twenty-two educators participated in three focus groups, and three families with a child with disability (age range: 9-15) were interviewed and video-recorded in their homes. Results show a partial overlap between educators’ and families’ representations. Implications for the development of a participatory and co-evolutionary approach that strengthen the resilience of families and their children with disability are discussed.

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