Vulnerabilities and Missed Chances
The Dynamics in the Relationship Between Parents of Disabled Children and Professionals in the Context of Chronic Sorrow
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21721602 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Edith Raap (0000-0002-3660-0564, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, corresponding author), Katie Lee Weille (0009-0002-0736-7705, Webster University, Leiden), Christine Dedding (0000-0003-3296-4245, Amsterdam University Medical Centers) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 663-681 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1468-0173 • E-ISSN: 1741-296X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/14680173251369716 |
| OpenAlex | W4414114127 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 27 |
The study explored how chronic sorrow in parents of disabled children impacts everyday interactions between parents and professionals in caregiving contexts. Chronic sorrow, characterized by ongoing feelings of grief and loss in parents, related to their child's disability, is increasingly recognized as having an influence on the relationship between professionals and parents. However, there is a lack of in-depth understanding of how chronic sorrow shapes dynamics in the parent–professional relationship. Through participatory action research, we explored the perspectives on chronic sorrow that parents and professionals brought into communication, ultimately leading to mutual understanding. Findings The study uncovered mutual misinterpretations and unrecognized vulnerabilities. Parents felt that their parental position and their history of previous losses with their children were not acknowledged. Conversely, professionals felt undervalued in their professional caretaking role. The analysis indicated that the professionals’ problem solving and action-oriented approaches hindered understanding and connection, preventing them from exploring what lies beneath the surface of the parents’ responses. Applications Professionals must consider the unique parental position and become more attuned to how chronic sorrow shapes parents’ reactions. The study's participatory approach can serve as an example of how to collectively explore parents’ and professionals’ perspectives on chronic sorrow and foster mutual understanding
Feeling · Grief · Sorrow · Child Welfare and Adoption · Family and Disability Support Research · Family Support in Illness
Exploring the boundaries of ‘good’ Participatory Action Research in times of increasing popularity
Building an alternative conceptualization of participation
Beyond “Whose reality counts?” New methods we now need? 1
Facing Reality Together Discussion
It is up to me because I gave him this life’ How the awareness of being permanently and unconditionally responsible shapes the experience of chronic sorrow in parents of disabled children
Social Acceleration. A New Theory of Modernity
The integrated process model of loss and grief - An interprofessional understanding
Participatory Research for Health and Social Well-Being
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |