Abstract

Parents who have a child with substantial disabilities have two distinct roles, parent and caregiver. This study sought to understand how parental and caregiver roles require distinct skills, attitudes, and behaviors that are affected by the concept of parental ambiguous loss. Using boundary ambiguity as a predictor of ambiguous loss, this study quantitatively explored levels of ambiguous loss experienced by caregiver parents. Results showed that ambiguous loss, as exhibited through boundary ambiguity positively correlated with levels of depression, and anxiety, but was negatively correlated with levels of parental efficacy, parental satisfaction and familial/friend social support. The results of this needs assessment provided a quantitative gauge of boundary ambiguity among caregiver parents that currently did not exist. Based on these results, a pilot intervention was developed to improve individual and family resilience The results of this needs assessment will potentially inform the larger systems that attempt to provide timely support and auxiliary resources to caregiver parents.

LLU Discipline

Marital and Family Therapy

Department

Counseling and Family Sciences

School

School of Behavioral Health

First Advisor

Huenergardt, Douglas

Second Advisor

Moline, Mary

Third Advisor

Michelson, David J.

Degree Name

Doctor of Marital and Family Therapy (DMFT)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2015

Date (Title Page)

9-2015

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Children with Disabilities - Family Relationships; Parents of Children with Disabilities; Disabled Children - Psychology; Parent-Child Relations; Caregivers - Psychology; Needs Assessment

Subject - Local

Caregiver Roles; Boundary Ambiguity; Ambiguous Loss; Parental Efficacy; Parental Satisfaction

Type

Doctoral Project

Page Count

89

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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