(Extra) ordinary parenting: Parents of children with disabilities in the context of disability stigma and pride

Abstract

Introduction/background

The research focuses primarily on how parents construct images of themselves and their children that diverge from the narrative of disability as a life tragedy and focus on emphasizing dignity and self-esteem.

Methods

The research was qualitative. A technique of an unstructured interview conducted with parents of people with intellectual disabilities was used to collect data. The analysis and interpretation were based on the procedures of the grounded theory.

Results and conclusion

Parents talk about their children as a source of pride, pointing to positive social experiences, social relationships and interactions in the public sphere. At the same time, parents emphasized the painful and exhausting experience of dealing with various types of institutions, thus highlighting the negative role of stigma in their lives and those of their children. Parents resisted framing their children’s 'deficits' and their own lives in terms of mere tragedy or misfortune.