Narratives Of Parents Research Articles

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With digital technologies spreading exponentially, families and parents are concerned about the crisis of culture, of the book, of raising their children to be readers. In the research on which the present study is based (2022, 10 semi-structured interviews), I asked graduate mothers living in a rural settlement (Parajd, Harghita County) about their perception of ICT tools in their family literacy practices. In my previous research (Néma, 2023c), I found a significant opposition in the perception of books and ICT tools, thematising the latter as a primary obstacle in the process of literacy education. Thus, in the present study, I present the 6 groups of opinions in which the interviewed mothers detail the need to regulate children's use of devices in the context of reading - by analysing the content of 85 statements emphasising ICT control from the parental narrative.

Choosing private alternative schools in Czechia: parents’ narrative identity study

ABSTRACT The aim of our study is to describe the identity of parents in a selected private alternative school. We chose a narrative approach based on an analysis of eight in-depth interviews with parents. The results of this research show how parent identities are manifested in their narratives in terms of opposition to mainstream education, negotiation of their needs and legitimisation of their choice. The research contributes to ongoing debates on school-choice policy by understanding how parents at a private school perceive themselves, form their decisions on choice of a school and how they justify their actions. Parent narratives are discussed in terms of quality of education as well as in terms of social justice in education.

How Family Communication Emerges in HPV Vaccine Parent Narratives

ABSTRACT Family communication surrounding HPV vaccination can support or hinder HPV cancer prevention strategies. We used narrative communication theory to elicit HPV vaccine decision narratives in the context of family communication from a purposive sample of 29 parents of adolescents. Parent narratives indicated that family negotiations occur throughout the decision-making process, topic avoidance was common among parents of unvaccinated and undervaccinated children, parents had concerns that vaccination is a sign of approving sexual permissiveness, and family communication was often prompted by encounters in the exam room. Understanding complex family dynamics in the context of vaccination decision-making, the role of family communication (or lack thereof) in decisions, and effective negotiation and communication strategies can inform messaging tactics aimed at addressing disagreements in families and indicate how vaccinating may align rather than conflict with family values.

Iron Deficiency and Restless Sleep/Wake Behaviors in Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Mental Health Conditions.

Iron deficiency (ID) and restlessness are associated with sleep/wake-disorders (e.g., restless legs syndrome (RLS)) and neurodevelopmental disorders (attention deficit/hyperactivity and autism spectrum disorders (ADHD; ASD)). However, a standardized approach to assessing ID and restlessness is missing. We reviewed iron status and family sleep/ID history data collected at a sleep/wake behavior clinic under a quality improvement/quality assurance project. Restlessness was explored through patient and parental narratives and a 'suggested clinical immobilization test'. Of 199 patients, 94% had ID, with 43% having a family history of ID. ADHD (46%) and ASD (45%) were common conditions, along with chronic insomnia (61%), sleep-disordered breathing (50%), and parasomnias (22%). In unadjusted analysis, a family history of ID increased the odds (95% CI) of familial RLS (OR: 5.98, p = 0.0002, [2.35-15.2]), insomnia/DIMS (OR: 3.44, p = 0.0084, [1.37-8.64]), and RLS (OR: 7.00, p = 0.01, [1.49-32.93]) in patients with ADHD, and of insomnia/DIMS (OR: 4.77, p = 0.0014, [1.82-12.5]), RLS/PLMS (OR: 5.83, p = 0.009, [1.54-22.1]), RLS (OR: 4.05, p = 0.01, [1.33-12.3]), and familial RLS (OR: 2.82, p = 0.02, [1.17-6.81]) in patients with ASD. ID and restlessness were characteristics of ADHD and ASD, and a family history of ID increased the risk of sleep/wake-disorders. These findings highlight the need to integrate comprehensive blood work and family history to capture ID in children and adolescents with restless behaviors.

Parent Narratives Provide Perspectives on the Experience of Care in Trisomy 18.

Trisomy 18 syndrome, also known as Edwards syndrome, is the second most common autosomal chromosome syndrome after Down syndrome. Trisomy 18 is a serious medical disorder due to the increased occurrence of structural defects, the high neonatal and infant mortality, and the disabilities observed in older children. Interventions, including cardiac surgery, remain controversial, and the traditional approach is to pursue pure comfort care. While the medical challenges have been well-characterized, there are scant data on the parental views and perspective of the lived experience of rearing a child with trisomy 18. Knowledge of the parental viewpoints can help clinicians guide families through decision-making. Our aim was to identify parents' perspectives by analyzing a series of narratives. In this qualitative study, we collected 46 parent narratives at the 2015 and 2016 conferences of the Support Organization for Trisomy 18 & 13 (SOFT). The participants were asked to "Tell us a story about your experience." Inductive content analysis and close reading were used to identify themes from the stories. Dedoose, a web-based application to analyze qualitative data, was used to code themes more systematically. Of the identified themes, the most common included Impact of trisomy 18 diagnosis and Surpassing expectations. Other themes included Support from professionals, A child, not a diagnosis, and Trust/lack of trust. We examined the voice and the perspectives of the parents in their challenges in caring for their children with this life-limiting condition. The exploration of the themes can ideally guide clinicians in their approach to the counseling and care of the child in a shared decision-making approach.

“I Thought That We Could Nurture the Nature Out of Our Son”: Making Meaning of Parenting in the Narratives of Parents of Children in Residential Treatment

ABSTRACT Enrolling a child in residential treatment for behavioral or emotional disorders is often considered a last resort for parents and can be accompanied by feelings of desperation and failure. Coupled with social discourse inexorably linking parenting with mental health outcomes, parents might experience stigma as they seek support for themselves and their children. Thus, this study implements relational dialectics theory to explore the meaning of parenting from the perspective of parents who have enrolled a child in a residential treatment program. Contrapuntal analysis of six interviews revealed two discourses competing to make meaning of parenting, the Discourse of Demanding Parenting Ideals (DDPI), consisting of two themes: relentless sacrifice and complete responsibility, whereas themes of boundary-setting and acceptance compose the Discourse of Realistic Best Effort (DRBE). Discursive interplay between these discourses occurred in the forms of diachronic separation, synchronic interplay, and discursive transformation to make meaning of parenting.

A Phenomenological Study of Homeschooling: Understanding the Experiences and Narratives of Parents

A Phenomenological Study of Homeschooling: Understanding the Experiences and Narratives of Parents

Childhood burn injury in the ger districts of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: an analysis of parent narratives

Childhood burns pose a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income nations, where the burden is pronounced. Mongolia stands out for its elevated rates of burn-related child mortality, especially among 1 to 5-year-olds. Despite this, there is a lack of research on the current status of childhood burns in Ulaanbaatar. This study utilized Cognitive Edge’s Sensemaker® to collect micronarratives from parents in the ger districts of Ulaanbaatar, aiming to understand the present context of childhood burn injuries. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes, including features in home and outdoor environments, lack of safety measures, and limitations in supervision. The findings emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to burn injury prevention tailored to the Mongolian context. Implementing suitable safety measures in ger districts based on these results could be instrumental. Additionally, extending this approach to other low- and middle-income countries warrants further investigation for effective preventive measures.

Frictions between familism and neoliberalism: exploring the intergenerational ambivalence narratives of migrant older parents in China

ABSTRACT This article explores the narratives of Chinese migrant older parents and addresses how the interplay between familism and neoliberalism, as structural forces behind older parents migrating to reside with their adult children, influences their perceptions of intergenerational relationships in the context of internal migration in China. Adopting the intergenerational ambivalence perspective, this study thus analyzes the connections between participants’ lived experiences and the structural forces and processes. The empirical data are drawn from 16 semi-structured interviews with 10 migrant older parents in Shenzhen. Through narrative and thematic analyzes, three main areas of intergenerational ambivalence are identified, which were expressed through how they talk about: (1) their adult children; (2) the childcare work they provided; (3) their expectation about filial care. These narratives highlight a strong focus on the younger generation’s socioeconomic success, with older parents inscribing themselves the role of supporting them to achieve this goal. This entails a change in the norms that regulate intergenerational relationships in contrast to the traditional direction of obligation around filial piety. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that the intergenerational ambivalences experienced by migrant older parents are created by their unfavourable positions across two incompatible systems: the neoliberal state-capitalist economy and unchanged family-based welfare/care regime.

The absurdities of remote learning in art schools in the narratives of teachers, parents and students – reflections from pilot research

The article presents the issue of remote teaching in art schools (music and ballet) during the COVID-19 pandemic from the biographical perspective of students, their parents and teachers of the main instrument. The cited stories focus on the unexpected difficulties they faced after the introduction of online education. Subjects closely related to artistic development (such as main instrument lessons, orchestra, choir, ear training, chamber ensembles – in music schools, or classical dance lessons – in the case of ballet schools) have caused many organisational and technical problems. Their effectiveness, in many cases, is unable to meet the needs of either students or teachers, leaving behind a feeling of meaninglessness, grief of loss, and, in borderline situations, physical harm.The article presents the results of pilot research (2022–2023) conducted as part of biographical research among teachers, parents and students of music and ballet schools. In-depth narrative interviews (and excerpts from them included in the text) paint a picture of the complicated everyday life of the pandemic, the strategies for coping with the encountered problems and the emotions associated with remote teaching of arts subjects in each studied group. The result of the pilot research is a record of the initial analysis and opens the research path for full-scale research planned for 2023–2024.The personal stories presented in the article have a dual purpose. On the one hand, they intend to outline their common experiences during the pandemic, outline the scale of the problem, and, as it were, confirm the validity of undertaking such a research topic. On the other hand, they invite readers to reflect on the reality of art schools that may be unknown to them.

“Understanding why she had to leave me”: The roles of religion and spirituality in narratives of parents grieving the loss of a child to cancer

Religion and spirituality often influence how people experience illness, death, and grief. The roles of religion and spirituality for parents who have lost a child to cancer remain underexplored. This study aimed to describe how cancer-bereaved parents talk about religion and spirituality when reflecting on their experiences. Participants whose children died of cancer one to six years prior to participation completed a one-on-one semi-structured interview. Interview transcripts underwent qualitative analysis. Content pertaining to religion and/or spirituality underwent subsequent in-depth analysis to identify themes. Of 30 interviews analyzed, 28 contained religion/spirituality content. Four themes arose: (1) life after death, (2) divine control, (3) evolution of faith after loss, and (4) religious and spiritual interactions within the medical community. The absence of supports for religious and spiritual needs represents a gap in bereavement care. Future work should clarify needs and explore potential interventions.

The Role of Faith, Religion, and Spirituality in Narratives of Parents Grieving the Loss of a Child to Cancer (GP150)

The Role of Faith, Religion, and Spirituality in Narratives of Parents Grieving the Loss of a Child to Cancer (GP150)

Precarietà e classe. Genitori in occupazioni precarie e ‘lotte quotidiane'

This study presents the results of exploratory research on precarity and class. Through key concepts drawn from critical sociology, we try to understand class as class struggle, but not in the political sense of the concept. Here class struggle means the uninterrupted efforts of a whole group of people, within the given circumstances, to create better living conditions. Precarity is part of these circumstances and it is framed within the dynamics of valorisation of labour, which tends to reduce the person to simple labour-power. The participants are parents in pre-carious employment and we want to report and reflect on their efforts to achieve decent living standards. The intent of this study is critical, it does not want to demonstrate whether the "precariat" is a social class or not, but through the narratives of parents in precarious employment about their difficult circumstances, this research wants to explore how daily struggles can be understood as class struggles of people at the margins.

Insights into Homeschooling in Vietnam: Vietnamese Parents’ Perspectives and Approaches to Cultivating Mother Language Skills and Literary Appreciation for their Children

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, homeschooling has emerged as a viable alternative in Vietnam, raising questions about its effectiveness compared to traditional schooling. While offering personalized learning and cultural immersion, concerns remain regarding social development, academic rigor, and systemic recognition. This qualitative study delves into the experiences of Vietnamese homeschooling families, utilizing semi-structured interviews to uncover thematic patterns in parental narratives. We explore how parents navigate curriculum design, resource utilization, and social interaction to foster their children’s Vietnamese language fluency and literary appreciation. By analyzing their strategies and challenges, our findings inform educational policymakers in developing support systems for homeschooling families and guide parents in creating enriching learning environments. This study opens a crucial dialogue on the future of homeschooling in Vietnam, encouraging stakeholders to explore its potential and address its limitations to ensure every child receives a high-quality education.

"All I know is that a disabled person is someone who is crippled": Using narratives of parents to unmask the misconceptions of Mild intellectual disabilities concept as a learning support hindrance.

Background: Learning-support provision by parents is key to children's scholastic success. However, when children are diagnosed with mild intellectual disabilities and in need of additional support, learning support provision is hindered. Aim: The study sought to investigate parents' experiences when providing learning support to children diagnosed with Mild intellectual disabilities. Setting: Using a phenomenological design and an interpretive paradigm, anchored in a qualitative research approach, data were gathered from parents whose children were diagnosed with Mild intellectual disabilities across three inclusive schools from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Gauteng province, in South Africa. Methods: Twenty-three (23) parents were purposefully selected to participate in the study by sharing their lived experiences. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and thematic content data analysis methods. Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological systems theory underpinned the study. Results: The findings revealed that the parents' misconception of the mild intellectual disability concept is one of the learning support hindrances. Conclusion: Parental empowerment through psycho-education was highlighted as a need for policy and practice adaptation.

In search of a prerequisite for infant participation in pregnancy: a depth-hermeneutical interpretation of conversations between coming mothers and midwives

Based on the fact that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) gives the right to participate and be heard in situations that affect their lives to all children, even pre-verbal infants, we have looked for the infant voice in parental narratives about their child. Conversations between 16 mothers and a professional at two stages were videotaped and transcribed. The first conversation between mother and midwife took place in pregnancy and, the second, between mother and health nurse, was completed when the child was about six months old. We wanted to invent a method that could find the voice of pre-verbal children, even before birth, a method capable of registering the child’s impact on us and decoding this influence into common language and practical action. Based on infant research on intersubjectivity and qualitative methodology from psychosocial research, we developed a procedure of depth-hermeneutical interpretation of the parental narratives. In this article we describe the results from the interpretation of the narratives made in pregnancy. Through the procedure of Scenic-Narrative Microanalysis, a very suitable method of depth-hermeneutic group interpretation, we identified three different areas of conflict or tension in the data material: container versus oneness; openness versus narrowness; and control versus curiosity. A description of the epistemological foundations and the research procedures from data collection to interpretation will be given. The results from the second round of interpretation will be analysed and compared with the results from the pregnancy narratives, and published in a future article.

An Exploratory Typology for Understanding Family-Relationship Issues in Kinship-Care Placements

Family relationships are a distinctive feature of kinship-care placements, but very few studies have examined how the dynamics of these relationships affect the placement experience. This article does explore these dynamics and identifies some possible patterns, as experienced and reported by parents of children placed in kinship care. The findings presented here come from a qualitative study employing a life-story methodology, in which nine parents were interviewed on two occasions each. All of them had experienced the permanent placement of at least one of their children with a member of their extended family, under the direction of a government child-protection agency. Drawing from significant themes in parental narratives, particularly that of relationships, we analyzed and delineated three distinct profiles. In the first profile, a family solidarity was present between the parents and the kinship caregivers before the placement and was maintained during the placement. In the second, the parents struggled to keep their place in their children’s lives, thus experiencing conflicts both with the kinship caregivers and with the child-protection agency. In the third profile, the dynamics of the current relationship between both biological parents influenced the other family relationships of the parent who was interviewed.

The regulation of families with children in apartments

Condominium housing is now ubiquitous in contemporary cities globally. For residents, the success of compact cities depends on built environment quality, social relationships within buildings, and broader social norms. This includes how private and shared apartment spaces are navigated, regulated, and controlled. This article focuses on the experiences of families with children who comprise a growing cohort of apartment residents. We build on existing research that documents families’ experiences of poor design, to recognize the role regulation plays in shaping a sense of home. We theorize regulation at three levels: (1) social regulation as interactions between individuals who influence each other’s behaviour; (2) self-regulated behaviours; and (3) institutional regulation through rules and laws. Utilizing narratives of parents raising children in apartments in Sydney, Australia, we argue social norms, neighbourly interactions, and by-laws interact to enforce codes of behaviour that impinge upon family life. Our insights have important implications for the wellbeing and inclusion of families within compact city agendas.

A Study on Parents Attitude Towards Information Technology (IT) Usage by Children

This study explores about the parent’s attitude towards information technology usage by children. This qualitative study follows explorative research design which is based on narratives of 13 parents from Madhyapur, Thimi-Bhaktapur who were selected through purposive sampling. Narratives from in-depth interview with parents are used as data collection tools in the study. Social constructivism, attachment theory and other literature reviews are used to explore the research questions and strengthen the findings of study. Thematic analysis of parent narratives supports to achieve research objectives. This study shows that, majority of parents have positive attitudes towards their children’s usage of information technology in term of education, communication skills rather than risks associated with it. Study found main factors that can mold children’s technology usage are parent-child relationship, family educational and economic background, parenting styles, child’s age, gender and experience.

Biographical Work of Parents of Children with Non-Normative Sexual Orientation and/or Gender Identity

This paper aims to reconstruct the biographical work (Corbin and Strauss) undertaken by parents of non-normative people. The initiating event of biographical work is the disclosure of a non-normative sexual orientation and/or gender identity by the child. For many parents, this is an event that causes a breakdown of previous schemes of action, a gradual loss of control, and suffering.
 The empirical data consist of autobiographical narratives of parents of people with non-normative sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The study involved mothers and fathers residing throughout Poland, who were selected according to the snowball procedure. The data were collected through the narrative interview technique and compiled according to the analytical procedure proposed by Fritz Schütze, which is part of the interpretative research paradigm.
 In the course of four parallel biographical processes (contextualizing, coming to terms, reconstituting identity, and recasting biography), the new experience is integrated into the biography, its consequences are understood and accepted, a coherent identity is reconstituted and a new course for one’s life are charted. The analysis of the narrators’ biographical work has made it possible to identify three categories that organize the course of the parents’ lives and identities—stigma, normalization, and activism.