ERIC Number: EJ1339878
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2227-7102
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Parents as Nomads: Journeys, In-Betweenness and Identity
Education Sciences, v12 Article 130 2022
When considering the parent voice as an individual subjective reality, it is observed as unique to the parent and not shared by others. This research sought to explore if parent voices could constitute intersubjective realities; inviting narratives from parents and professionals that may reveal a shared existence. The first theme explored the journeys of the parent as a nomad in their search for services to support their children. The second theme describes the position of the parent during the period of their child's assessment, diagnosis and intervention, as that of 'in-betweenness'. The third theme describes parents' experiences as those of journeys, during which their identities change. Qualitative, in-depth, longitudinal case studies were undertaken with parents of young children with ASD and professionals over eighteen months. Semi-structured interviews (n-83) were conducted. Autoethnography was critical as a methodological tenet in defense of a position that states that research is an extension of our lives. The findings of this research show evidence of parental isolation and marginalization when procuring services for their children or when children failed to experience inclusion. This research suggests that nomads navigate (difficult) ways of forming new multiple selves and identities.
Descriptors: Parent Role, Young Children, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Autism, Identification (Psychology), Early Intervention, Foreign Countries, Change, Disability Identification, Accessibility (for Disabled), Parent Attitudes, Related Services (Special Education), Experience, Parent Participation
MDPI AG. Klybeckstrasse 64, 4057 Basel, Switzerland. e-mail: education@mdpi.com; e-mail: indexing@mdpi.com; Web site: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/education
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
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Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland
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Author Affiliations: N/A