Multiple Sclerosis and Parenting: How Our Children Respond to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Daily Life
Family Relationships and Familial Responses to Health Issues
ISBN: 978-1-78441-015-5, eISBN: 978-1-78441-014-8
Publication date: 13 October 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to survey parents who have Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and examine issues surrounding their parenting.
Design
Qualitative surveys were used to collect data.
Findings
Findings from the study include three themes: (a) They needed to know; (b) Involving children with treatment; and (c) I can’t do this alone. Discussion of findings and conclusions and recommendations for parents, physicians, and future studies are presented.
Research limitations
Data for the study was collected through self-reports and limited demographic data was collected.
Value
Continued research on MS is needed, especially in the area involving children in at-home treatments and children as caregivers. Children can be a challenging population to investigate, yet as evidenced in this study, children are being involved in MS treatments of their parents. A greater, more in-depth look at the role of a child as caregiver is warranted.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgments
We thank the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation for the grant that was used to provide incentives for the participants. Also, many heartfelt thanks to the Tri-State Multiple Sclerosis Society for their willingness to post the announcement of the study in their monthly newsletter and Facebook page.
Citation
Haynes-Lawrence, D.J. and West, A.R. (2014), "Multiple Sclerosis and Parenting: How Our Children Respond to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Daily Life", Family Relationships and Familial Responses to Health Issues (Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research, Vol. 8A), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 75-101. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1530-35352014000008A002
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited