Parenting Success and Challenges for Families of Children with Disabilities: An Ecological Systems Analysis

Abstract

This article examines factors that are associated with parenting success for caregivers of children with disabilities using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems framework. Although numerous studies have investigated risk factors for negative parenting among caregivers of children with disabilities, there are relatively few research findings on parenting success. More specifically, we examine factors for parenting success within the context of micro- (parenting practices, parent-child relations), meso- (caregivers' marital relations, religious social support), and macro-systems (cultural variations, racial and ethnic disparities, health care delivery system), which is then followed by implications for social work practice.

Keywords:

• Caregivers
• children
• parenting
• ecological systems theory
• disabilities
• special health care needs