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Parents as developmental partners: Building a Development-Promoting Environment for children with Profound
Ines Van Keer1, Evy Meys1, Bea Maes1
1University of Leuven, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Unit Parenting and Special Education, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 32, box 3765, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
Background:
Parents of children with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities (PIMD) navigate numerous responsibilities, including practical, medical and administrative challenges. However, little is known about how they perceive and manage their role as their child's developmental partner. This study aimed to generate a grounded theory explaining how parents fulfill this role.
Method:
Using Grounded Theory Method, parents of nine children with PIMD (0-12 years old) were interviewed. Through iterative coding, thematic saturation was reached after three rounds.
Results:
The resulting Dynamic DPE model illustrates how parents continually create a Development-Promoting Environment through deliberation (deciding on developmental opportunities) and delivery (implementing them). Their child's actual development strongly impacts these processes.
Discussion:
While parents' (in)formal network and broader society are crucial secondary developmental partners, they can also introduce challenges or barriers. A more inclusive society and increased shared responsibility could improve families' quality of life, simultaneously creating more time, energy and mental space to fulfill their role as developmental partner.
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