Cernikovsky, David Tomas. Parental attitudes toward involvement in the lives of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities following residential transition. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3KK998Z
DescriptionThis study attempted to examine parental experiences leading up to, and following the transition of their son or daughter with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to a community-based residential placement. This is a field of study that has not been sufficiently researched, despite the increasing number of adults with IDD who have moved out of their parental home and into community-based residences in recent years. For the purposes of this study, the researcher performed semi-structured interviews with six parents of adults who had been diagnosed with IDD and had been subsequently transitioned into community-based residences. Through the use of an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) research design, the researcher identified several phenomena, which arose across the participants that warrant further study and examination. Specifically, the researcher found that the participants’ descriptions could be clustered around three main superordinate themes: balancing independence and protection, the redefinition of the parent’s identity, and the practical and emotional preparation and response to the transition itself. As these phenomena are further researched in the transition process from parental home to community-based residence, it is proposed that better outcomes for all involved will be experienced.