Exploring the Impact of Special Learning Disability Diagnosis on Family Dynamics: A Parental Perspective
Volume 8 Issue 4 (October 2023)
Fatih Eray Ercan Öpengin
Pages: 981-990 Download Count : 806 View Count: 725 DOI Number 10.24331/ijere.1344731 Facebook Twitter Share on Google+
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to examine parental views on the effect of having a child diagnosed with a special learning disability on families. In line with the purpose of the research, phenomenological design, a qualitative research approach, was used. The study group consists of the parents of 12 children diagnosed with special learning disabilities, who are students in schools affiliated to the Van Province National Education Directorate in the 2022–2023 academic year. The data collection tools of the research are semi-structured interview questions with 24 questions and a demographic information form, which was created by the researchers, taking the opinions of 3 different experts. The obtained data were converted into themes. Themes of the research; the pre-diagnosis process, the diagnostic process, family relations, and social relations. Parents reported that there was no change in their social life after their child received this diagnosis. However, they stated that they avoided talking to people outside their close circle about the diagnosis of special learning disabilities in their children. They said that the relations between parents were not affected by the diagnosis of special learning disability, but the relations between siblings and children with special learning difficulties were badly affected. In addition, it has been observed that families do not have sufficient information about the diagnosis of special learning disability. In this context, informative studies to be conducted in schools for parents about special learning disabilities may enable them to be noticed earlier and to better adjust their expectations for their children ’s performance.
Keywords
- Special learning disability
- family dynamics
- parent opinions