Parental and practitioner perspectives on raising an adolescent with a disability: a focus group study

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the challenges faced by parents of teenagers with a disability to determine the need for a tailored parenting program for this population. Method: Focus groups were conducted with six parents and nine practitioners with experience supporting parents of teenagers with a disability. Results: An inductive thematic analysis revealed close agreement between parents and practitioners and eight understandable and relevant themes. The results indicated that parents have difficulty planning and facilitating transitions for their adolescent children, managing behavioural problems due to these problems being unique to this developmental period and because some of the parenting strategies that were useful when their children were younger were no longer applicable. High levels of stress and feelings of grief were also described. Conclusions: These results suggest that parents of adolescents with a developmental disability could benefit from a parenting program and that an existing evidence-based parenting program should be modified. Implications for program design for this population are discussed.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Parents have difficulty supporting their teenagers’ behaviour.

• Some parenting strategies that were useful for young children are no longer applicable.

• Parents may benefit from a parenting program tailored for teenagers.

• Adolescence
• behaviour problems
• developmental disability
• parenting
• prevention

Acknowledgements

We thank Disability Services Commission of Western Australia for assisting with participant recruitment. We also thank Cathryn Prendergast for assisting with data analysis.

Declaration of interest

This research was supported, in part, by a grant awarded to T. G. M. and A. H. from School of Psychology and Speech Pathology Research Allocation Fund, Curtin University.

The Triple P-Positive Parenting Program is owned by The University of Queensland. The University, through its technology transfer company Uniquest Pty Ltd., has licensed Triple P International Pty Ltd to disseminate the program worldwide. Royalties stemming from this dissemination work are distributed to the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, the School of Psychology, Parenting and Family Support Centre, and contributory authors in accordance with the University’s intellectual property policy. No author has any share or ownership in Triple P International. M. S. is the founder and lead author of the Trip P-Positive Parenting Program and is a consultant to Triple P International. T. G. M. is a co-author of Stepping Stones Triple P.