The Benefits of Mutual Support Groups for Parents of Children with Disabilities

American Journal of Community Psychology

Volumn 29, Issue 1, 2001, Pages 113-132

  Solomon, Michael ^a   Pistrang, Nancy ^b   Barker, Chris ^c  

^a NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE   (United Kingdom)

^b UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON   (United Kingdom)

^c NONE

Author keywords

Children with disabilities; Mutual support groups; Parents; Self help

Indexed keywords

ADULT; ARTICLE; CHILD; FEMALE; HANDICAPPED CHILD; HUMAN; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; PARENT; PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECT; SATISFACTION; SOCIAL SUPPORT;

ADULT; CHILD; DISABLED CHILDREN; FEMALE; HUMANS; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; PARENTS; PERSONAL SATISFACTION; SOCIAL SUPPORT;

EID: 0035258169     PISSN: 00910562     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1023/A:1005253514140     Document Type: Article

References (57)

1. Barker, C., Pistrang, N., & Elliott, R. E. (1994). Research methods in clinical and counselling psychology. Chichester: Wiley.
2. Barrera, M., & Ainlay, S. (1983). The structure of social support - a conceptual and empirical analysis. Journal of Community Psychology, 11, 133-143.
3. Beresford, B. (1994). Resources and strategies: How parents cope with the care of a disabled child. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35, 171-209.
4. Borkman, T. J. (1990). Experiential, professional, and lay frames of reference. In T. J. Powell (Ed.), Working with self-help (pp. 3-30). Silver Spring, MD: NASW Press.
5. Brown, A., & Hepple, S. (1989). How parents cope: Caring for a child who has a handicap. London: Barnardos.
6. Byrne, E., Cunningham, C., & Sloper, P. (1988). Families and their children with Down's Syndrome: One feature in common. London: Routledge.
7. Cunningham, C., & Davis, H. (1985). Working with parents: Frameworks for collaboration. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
8. Dale, N. (1996). Working with families of children with special needs: Partnership and practice. London: Routledge.
9. Dalley, G. (1992). Social welfare ideologies and normalisation: Links and conflicts. In H. Brown & H. Smith (Eds.), Normalisation: A reader for the nineties (pp. 100-111). London: Routledge.
10. Elliott, R., Fischer, C. T., & Rennie, D. L. (1999). Evolving guidelines for publication of qualitative research studies in psychology and related fields. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 215-229.
11. Elliott, R., & Wexler, M. M. (1994). Measuring the impact of sessions in process-experiential therapy of depression: The Session Impacts Scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 41, 166-174.
12. Glendinning, C. (1983). Unshared care: Parents and their disabled children. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
13. Goldklang, D. (1991). Research workshop on methodological issues in evaluating preventive interventions using mutual support. American Journal of Community Psychology, 19, 789-795.
14. Gottlieb, B. H. (1982). Mutual-help groups: Members' views of their benefits and of roles for professionals. Prevention in Human Services. Helping People to Help Themselves: Self-Help and Prevention, 1, 55-67.
15. Gubrium, J. F. (1989). Local cultures and service policy. In J. F. Gubrium & D. Silverman (Eds.), The politics of field research: Sociology beyond enlightenment (pp. 94-112). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
16. Heller, T., Roccoforte, J. A., Hsieh, K., Cook, J. A., & Pickett, S. A. (1997). Benefits of support groups for families of adults with severe mental illness. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 67, 187-198.
17. Henwood, K., & Pidgeon, N. (1992). Qualitative research and psychological theorising. British Journal of Psychology, 83, 97-111.
18. Hollins, S. (1985). Families and handicap. In M. Craft, J. Bicknell, & S. Hollins (Eds.), Mental handicap: A multi-disciplinary approach. London: Balliere Tindall.
19. Humphreys, K., & Rappaport, J. (1994). Researching self-help/mutual aid groups and organizations: Many roads, one journey. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 3, 217-231.
20. Jacobs, M. K., & Goodman, G. (1989). Psychology and self-help groups: Predictions on a partnership. American Psychologist, 44, 536-545.
21. Larsen, D. L., Attkisson, C. C., Hargreaves, W. A., & Nguyen, T. D. (1979). Assessment of client/patient satisfaction: Development of a general scale. Evaluation and Program Planning, 2, 197-207.
22. Lebow, J. (1984). Research assessing consumer satisfaction with mental health treatment: A review of findings. Evaluation and Program Planning, 6, 211-236.
23. Levine, M. (1988). An analysis of mutual assistance. American Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 167-187.
24. Levy, L. (1979). Processes and activities in groups. In M. Lieberman & L. Borman (Eds.), Self-help groups for coping with crisis: Origins, members, processes and impact (pp. 234-271). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
25. Lieberman, M. (1979). Analyzing change mechanisms in groups. In M. Lieberman & L. Borman (Eds.), Self-help groups for coping with crisis: Origins, members, processes and impact (pp. 194-233). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
26. Linder, R. (1970). Mothers of disabled children: The value of weekly group meetings. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 12, 202-206.
27. Maton, K. I. (1988). Social support, organizational characteristics, psychological well-being, and group appraisal in three self-help group populations. American Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 53-77.
28. Maton, K. I. (1993). Moving beyond the individual level of analysis in mutual help group research: An ecological paradigm. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 29, 272-285.
29. Moos, R. H. (1986). Group Environment Scale Manual (2nd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
30. Moos, R. H. (1996). Understanding environments: The key to improving social processes and program outcomes. American Journal of Community Psychology, 24, 193-201.
31. Morgan, D. (1988). Focus groups as qualitative research. London: Sage.
32. Orford, J. (1992). Community psychology: Theory and practice. Chichester: Wiley.
33. Pahl, J., & Quine, L. (1987). Families with mentally handicapped children. In J. Orford (Ed), Coping with disorder in the family (pp. 39-61). London: Croom Helm.
34. Parker, G. (1985). With due care and attention: A review of research on informal care. London: Family Policy Studies Centre.
35. Pidgeon, N. (1996). Grounded theory: Theoretical background. In J. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of qualitative research methods for psychology and the social sciences (pp. 75-85). Leicester: BPS Books (The British Psychological Society).
36. Pidgeon, N., & Henwood, K. (1996). Grounded theory: Practical implementation. In J. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of qualitative research methods for psychology and the social sciences (pp. 86-101). Leicester: BPS Books (The British Psychological Society).
37. Quine, L., & Pahl, J. (1989). Stress and coping in families caring for a child with severe mental handicap: A longitudinal survey. University of Kent at Canterbury: Institute of Social and Applied Psychology and Centre for Health Service Studies.
38. Quine, L., & Pahl, J. (1991). Stress and coping in mothers caring for a child with severe learning difficulties: A test of Lazarus' transaction model of coping. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 1, 57-70.
39. Rappaport, J. (1993). Narrative studies, personal stories, and identity transformation in the mutual help context. The Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, 29, 239-256.
40. Rennie, D. L., Phillips, J. R., & Quartaro, G. K. (1988). Grounded theory: A promising approach to conceptualization in psychology? Canadian Psychology, 29, 139-150.
41. Rogers, C. R. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 95-103.
42. Russell, P. (1997, Spring). Working in partnership with parents of children with disabilities. Children UK (Quarterly Newsletter of National Children's Bureau), 14.
43. Shotter, J., & Gergen, K. (1989). Texts of identity. London: Sage.
44. Singhi, P., Goyal, L., Pershad, D., Singhi, S., & Walia, B. (1990). Psychosocial problems in families of disabled children. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 63, 173-182.
45. Solomon, M. (1997). What do parents of children with disabilities and special needs find helpful about mutual support groups? Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University College London, London, England.
46. Stiles, W. B. (1993). Quality control in qualitative research. Clinical Psychology Review, 13, 593-618.
47. Stiles, W. B., Reynolds, S., Hardy, G. E., Rees, A., Barkham, M., & Shapiro, D. A. (1994). Evaluation and description of psychotherapy sessions by clients using the session evaluation questionnaire and the session impacts scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 41, 175-185.
48. Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
49. Tajfel, H. (1981). Human groups and social categories: Studies in social psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
50. Taylor, S. E., Falke, R. L., Shoptaw, S. J., & Lichtman, R. R. (1986) Social support, support groups, and the cancer patient. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 608-615.
51. Toro, P. A., Rappaport, J., & Seidman, E. (1987). Social climate comparison of mutual help and psychotherapy groups. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 430, 431.
52. Videka-Sherman, L. (1982). The effects of participation in a self-help group for bereaved parents. Prevention in Human Services. Helping People to Help Themselves: Self-Help and Prevention, 1, 69-77.
53. Videka-Sherman, L., & Lieberman, M. (1985). The effects of self-help and psychotherapy intervention on child loss: The limits of recovery. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 55, 70-82.
54. Wolfensberger, W. (1980). The definition of normalization: update, problems, disagreements and misunderstandings. In R. Flynn & K. Nitsch (Eds.), Normalization, social integration and community services. Baltimore: University Park Press.
55. Wolfensberger, W. (1983). Social role valorization: A proposed new term for the principal of normalization. Mental Retardation, 21, 234-239.
56. Woods, G. (1981). Profiles: Parents help themselves. Child: Care, Health and Development, 7, 51-56.
57. Yalom, I. (1975). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.