1. Objectifs

Intentions :
This thesis by articles «explore[s] how mothers and fathers of children with ND [neurodisabilities] seek help, for their child and for themselves, within both informal (e.g., family, friends, neighbours), and formal (e.g., pediatric hospitals and rehabilitation centers, health and social service organizations) networks of support. […] The first article describes the Journey of Ladders and Snakes, the substantive theory that emerged from the analysis of interviews with [participants]. The second article describes a Cyclical Process Model of Help-Seeking, a practical representation of the substantive theoretical knowledge that emerged from the study.» (p. 10-11)

Questions/Hypothèses :
The research aims to answer the following question: «[h]ow do mothers and fathers who co-parent their child with ND seek help for their child and for themselves from within their informal and formal networks?» (p. 19)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
The sample is constituted of «6 mothers and 6 fathers (representing 6 co-parenting dyads) of children with ND between the ages of 8 and 15 years.» (p. 10) «They have been recruited from an establishment within the province of Québec […].» (p. 78)

Instruments :
Guide d’entretien semi-directif

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

The first article «describes the journey as a highly emotive one that begins from a place of grief and sadness about an expected child who ever came. It is a lifelong journey that begins at the first indication that something is ‘different’ with their child, and it is ignited for each identified need, thus several simultaneous processes unfold at once. The JLS [Journey of Ladders and Snakes] represents mothers and fathers seeking primarily for their child through roles they each adopted that are reflective of their personalities, personal preferences, and skillsets. Along their journey, mothers and fathers encounter ladders that facilitate their journey (parental transformation, privilege, complementarity, relationships), and snakes (negative encounters with professional helpers, difficulty navigating formal support networks, and gendered support availability), that render their journey more challenging.» (p. 97-98) In the second article, the «model depicts three distinct emotional and cognitive and affective processes that mothers and fathers engage in when seeking help: [In the first stage, called] What’s going on here?[, parents identify] a situation as one that they need help with and that requires mobilization, one that is imminent and that they must respond to, or one that will require them to respond to in the future[.] [In the second stage,] Exploring all avenues[, parents embark] on a search for all possible supports, [and in the third stage,] Dealing with today[, they] settling back into family routines given uncertainty related to extent and nature of current and forthcoming help […]. The Cyclical process Model of Help-Seeking is [thus] recommended as a practice tool for opening and elaborating dialogue with mothers and fathers about their help-seeking.» (p. 177-178)