Draws a parallel between the psychological stages of adjustment a newly blinded individual goes through and the stages of adjustment experienced by the parents of a blind child. Also discusses some of the reasons that parents choose to have children, parental reactions to having a blind child, and the effect of parental attitudes on the child. Suggests how counselors can help the parents of blind children.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BarryH., and MarshallF. E.Maladjustment and maternal rejection in retrolental fibroplasia.Mental Hygiene, 1953, 37, 570–580.
2.
BellR. D.Considering parenthood. In Boston Women's Health Book Collective. (Eds.), Ourselves and our children.New York: Random House, 1978.
3.
BlankH.R.Psychoanalysis and blindness.Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 1957, 26(1), 1–24.
4.
BrooksR.Preface. In KasteinS., SpauldingI., ScharfB., Raising the young blind child.New York: Human Sciences Press, 1980.
5.
ChevignyH.The adjustment of the blind.New Haven: Yale University Press, 1950.
6.
ChodoffP.Adjustment to disability.Journal of Chronic Diseases, 1959, 9, 653–670.
7.
ChodoffP., FriedmanS.A., and HamburgD.A.Stress, defenses, and coping behavior: Observations in parents of children.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1964, 43, 137–142. (Hallenbeck, P.N. Dogmatism and visual loss. New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1967.)
8.
CholdenL.S.A psychiatrist works with blindness.New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1958.
9.
CohenP.C.The impact of the handicapped child on the family.Social Casework, 1962, 43, 137–142.
10.
CowenE. L., UnderbergR. P., VerrilloR. T., and BenhamF.G.Adjustment to visual disability in adolescence.New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1961.
11.
DennisW.Children of the creche.New York: Appleton Century-Crofts, 1973.
12.
FraibergS.Insights from the blind.New York: New American Library, 1977.
13.
FraibergS., SmithM., and AdelsonE.An educational program for blind infants.Journal of Special Education, 19693(2), 121–139.
14.
FreudS.Three contributions to the theory of sex.New York: Random House, 1938.
15.
HallenbeckP. N.Dogmatism and visual loss.New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1967.
16.
HomansG. C.Social behavior as an exchange.American Journal of Sociology, 1958, 62, 597–606.
17.
HorneyK.Neurotic personality of our time.New York: W. W. Norton, 1937. (Hallenbeck, P.N. Dogmatism and visual loss. New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1967.)
18.
KirkS. A.Early education of the mentally retarded.Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1958.
19.
KirkS. A.Diagnostic, cultural, and remedial factors in mental retardation. In OsterS. F., CookeR. E. (Eds.), The biosocial basis of mental retardation.Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1965.
20.
NeedhamW. E., and EhmerM. N.Irrational thinking and adjustment to loss of vision.Journal of Visual Impairment ir Blindness, 198074(2), 57, 61.
21.
PrescottJ. W.Somatosensory deprivation and its relationship to the blind. In JastrzembskaZ. S. (Ed.), The effects of blindness and other impairments on early development.New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1976.
22.
SanfordW. C. IntroductionIn Boston Women's Health Book Collective (Eds.), Ourselves and our children.New York: Random House, 1978.
23.
ScottR. A.The making of blind men.New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1969.
24.
SommersV. S.The influence of parental attitudes and social environment on the personality development of the adolescent blind.New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1944.
WaldfogelS., and GardnerG. E.Intervention in crisis as a method of primary prevention. In CaplanG. (Ed.), Prevention of mental disorders in children.New York: Basic Books, 1961.
27.
WarrenD. H.Blindness and early childhood development.New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1977.
