https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2014-4330
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ABSTRACT
Background
Families of children with developmental disabilities face extraordinary changes in their life circumstances and needs that require adaptations to create sustainable and meaningful daily routines. The present study explored the adaptation of Chinese families of children with developmental disabilities from an ecocultural theoretical perspective.
Method
A total of 34 families of children with developmental disabilities were interviewed using the adapted Family Life Interview, and the data were analysed thematically.
Results
The Chinese families put the needs of their child with developmental disabilities as their highest priority, sought to maintain family harmony, faced an unpredictable future, and experienced limited services to support their endeavours.
Conclusion
The findings stress the importance of having a deep understanding of the cultural and social contexts that impact the lives of families of children with developmental disabilities prior to developing family-centred interventions to assist families in their changed life circumstances.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the parents who shared their experience, and Dr Tianxi Xu and Dr Liwei Liu for their assistance in translation. Ethical clearance: This study was approved by the Office of Social Science Research and the Faculty of Education Research Committee at Central China Normal University. All the participants participated voluntarily and their consent was obtained.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.