Constructs in families where one member has an Intellectual Disability
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Exploration of Personal and Family Constructs in Families where one member has an Intellectual Disability
IRAS ID
128156
Contact name
Sarah Thomson
Contact email
Research summary
Research has shown that there are long-term family effects of having a child with a disability for parents and siblings. Much of the research does not distinguish from different disabilities and negative effects on family members include stress, anxiety, depression, stigma and role strain (e.g. Gray, 1994; Gray, 2002; Koegal et al, 1992; Pearson & Chan 1993). Positive effects include new roles, new personal traits, more faith and improved family relationships (e.g. Scorgie & Sobsey, 2000; Hastings & Taunt, 2002; Patterson & Garwick, 1994).\n\nThis research will focus on the family relationships and new personal traits elements by considering family dynamics and relationships in families where one member has an Intellectual Disability. People with Intellectual Disability who are able to give informed consent, who can understand and speak basic verbal English and who are in contact with their families will be contacted by their Care Coordinators or Therapists who they see in a Specialist Learning Disability Service in Hertfordshire Partnership NHS trust. \n\nEach family member will be interviewed individually about how they view themselves and each of the other family members taking part in the study and whether they feel the ID diagnosis has impacted on this. There responses can be verbal or through drawings. There will then be a family interview, involving all participating family members, where the contents of the individual interviews are shared and discussed within the family and there will be a discussion about how there family are similar or different to other families. \n\nFollowing the interviews, the researcher will construct qualitative repertory grids which maps the views of each of the family members about each of the other family members onto a grid. The interviews will be recorded, transcribed and analysed for themes using thematic analysis.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/EE/0379
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion