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Initiating group process with parents of multihandicapped children
Insights
Introducing group process in medical settings for families of children with severe handicaps requires addressing parental shame and guilt. A practical workshop approach successfully engaged parents by focusing on child care and emotional support.
Area of Science:
- Medical Social Work
- Child Psychology
- Family Support Services
Background:
- Medical settings often minimize emotional aspects of physical disabilities.
- Parents of children with severe handicaps experience significant shame and guilt.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore methods for engaging parents in group processes within a medical context.
- To address the emotional needs of parents caring for children with severe handicaps.
Main Methods:
- A "street corner" outreach strategy was employed to recruit parents.
- A workshop program focused on practical child care and emotional support.
Main Results:
- The approach successfully motivated parental participation in the workshop.
- The program addressed both concrete child care needs and parental emotional distress.
Conclusions:
- A targeted, practical approach can overcome resistance to group process in medical settings.
- Addressing parental shame and guilt is crucial for supporting families of children with severe handicaps.
Abstract:
Resistance, tacit and otherwise, should be expected when attempting to introduce group process in a medically oriented setting where concern about the emotional sequelae of physical disabilities is minimal. A "street corner" approach was used to motivate parents of young children with severe handicaps to participate in a "workshop" program addressed to concrete concerns of child care, while at the same time dealing with parental feelings of shame and guilt arising from the birth of a physically defective child.