The aim of this grounded theory study was to understand parents' emotions and coping strategies regarding their child's initial placement in an Israeli special education kindergarten. Proper placement is essential to effectively support children with developmental disabilities (DD), yet parents tend to approach assessment procedures with dread.…

This study utilized a qualitative constructivist grounded theory methodology to explore the social and friendship experiences of adolescent girls with developmental disabilities (DD). Participants included 12 adolescent girls with DD and 13 parents of adolescent girls with DD. In-depth interviews were conducted with each participant to better…

People with developmental disabilities (DD) lack access to many aspects of sexuality education and often experience restrictions in romantic relationships. One factor contributing to this lack of access includes parents feeling uncomfortable providing appropriate sexuality education to their children with DD despite being the primary source of…

Background: Adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at risk of obesity. Parents influence their diet and physical activity behaviours and therefore, can play important roles in weight management. The aims of this qualitative study were to explore parents' experiences assisting their son or daughter to…

Background: Family carers often lack support for their own well-being as they navigate diagnostic and early intervention services for intellectual and developmental disabilities. Methods: This study explored the emotional journey of carers during Early Positive Approaches to Support, an 8-week group program. Participants journaled their emotional…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how parents of children diagnosed with DDX3X Syndrome and school professionals serving on special education teams in the United States describe collaboration. The collaborative process was investigated through three sub-questions regarding relationship building, shared values, and…

Mothers of school-aged children ages 3 to 17 years with developmental disabilities (DDs) commonly report sleep problems in their children associated with impaired maternal sleep. However, existing research relies heavily on mothers' self-reported sleep. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of objectively measuring child and mother…

The problem that was the focus of this study is that many parents, both children who are typically developing and those who have special needs, are unsure of the benefits of inclusive preschool classrooms. This study is important because it enhanced understanding of how parents make informed decisions about what is educationally best for their…

Background & Aims: Students with developmental language disorder (DLD) often experience academic underachievement, and require adjustments and accommodations to access the curriculum. Teachers, allied health professionals and parents/caregivers have varying roles in the education process, and it is essential they work together to provide…

The interplay between sense of entitlement and hope might have a unique contribution to mothers of children with developmental disabilities (DD) life satisfaction. Seventy-three mothers of children with DD and 47 mothers of children without DD participated in the study. Mothers of children with DD (vs. without DD) experienced low levels of life…

Little is known about the attributional patterns of caregivers of autistic children, particularly in relation to caregivers of children with other developmental or behavioral disorders. This study examined differences in caregiver attributions of child behavior between three groups: toddlers with (1) Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ASD concerns;…

Families are often the forgotten partners in education and in educational research. It is important to consider input from families regarding their children's education. Their voices are crucial ones that should be heard more often. The research is currently lacking information about families' perceptions about the education of their children with…

Purpose: Parent engagement is a critical component of optimizing services for young children with disabilities, including those with language disorders. Without training, however, many parents may lack the knowledge and skills to effectively facilitate their children's language development during the essential early childhood years. The Parents…

The occupational role of a mother parenting a child with developmental and socially disruptive conduct is unique. How mothers express their experiences is poorly explored in the literature. This study aims to better understand mothers' description of their unique experiences in order to better inform interventions. Using a narrative inquiry…

Background: An emerging body of literature explores the impact of living with developmental language disorder (DLD) on children, individuals and families. This work has identified a range of challenges and strengths. However, there is limited evidence from the DLD community about the impacts of living with DLD in relation to parenting. Aims: We…