The article begins by making the point that a good assessment of the needs and circumstances of family members is important if previous neglect of affected family members is to be reversed. The methods we have used in research studies are then described. They include a lengthy semi-structured interview covering seven topic areas and standard…

The author questioned 30 professional women--teachers, lawyers, psychologists, social workers and others--to determine how they cope with the multiple roles of wife, mother, and professional. Their responses are summarized in this article. (Author/KC)

The study addresses parental coping patterns of children with congenital heart disease in the state of Hawaii. Attention was given to geography and ethnicity as well as parental and child characteristics as factors impacting on the coping pattern. Telephone interviews with parents (N=32) obtained data concerning parent characteristics, their…

Results of five parental interviews indicated a similar process was experienced in deciding on out-of-home placements for children with complex medical needs: weariness; need for additional assistance; "triggering events" (financial concerns, lack of social supports, and difficulties with services); need for decision approval; and reflections on…

Reports the responses of families in Kansas who live with a seriously emotionally disturbed and violent child. Contains interview responses to specific questions posed to family members about how they counter the child's aggression, how they deal with acting out, how they de-escalate tension, how they rebuild the caring bonds, and how they manage.…

This paper discusses cyclical grieving, which is described as an intermittent reoccurrence of one or more emotions that are part of the grieving process experienced by parents who have children with disabilities. A study to support the concept of cyclical grieving used a naturalistic approach with face-to-face interviews to explore ten parents'…

Interviews with 102 families of preschool-age children with developmental delays identified 4 subgroups reflecting variations in parents' views of the impact of their child on the family's daily routine. These subgroups, in turn, were related to different domains of family adaptation or accommodation. Utility of the typology for early…

The purpose of this descriptive study was to generate information about imminent concerns of adult children that could serve as initial context for development of a meaningful framework for coping with an ongoing parent care situation. Ninety-two adult children pre-selected for self-reports of crisis were interviewed about their concerns and goals…

This report discusses the findings of a study that examined the views of 15 Puerto Rican families of young children with special needs. Information about the beliefs, attitudes, and personal experiences held by these families was collected using an informal, open-ended interview format. Redefinition was a form of internal appraisal focused…

This study used interviews and home observations with three families to examine how chronic illness in a young child affects daily family life. The families reported frequent low vitality, selective interest in available support groups, restricted social life, and preoccupation with decisions concerning their child's illness. General strategies,…

Presents a solution-focused treatment model that incorporates macro and micro views of ethnic differences and similarities. It is argued that not all clients from the same ethnic group experience life in similar ways. Use of the model is explored through a discussion of the treatment of Asian-American clients. (SLD)