For thousands of years the perplexities inherent in parenting children with a disability have given rise to both unique challenges and esoteric stress amongst this overburdened population (Berkson, 2004). The ubiquitous presence of the disability on such family systems engenders a vexing toll across a wide range of life-domains including sleep deprivation, feelings of inadequacy, guilt, shame, isolation, disconnection, misunderstanding, and ambiguous loss (Hurley & Levitas, 2004; Kormann & Petronko, 2004; Poston et al., 2003). Further, parents often report less then positive interactions with institutional level support systems (e.g., early intervention programs) intended to ameliorate some of the taxing effects of their chronic responsibilities (Stoner et al., 2005).
Prevalence rates estimate that approximately three million American children require mental health interventions, with approximately one out of every hundred being diagnosed with mentally retardation (DSM-IV-TR, 2000; Mash, 1998). Further, the speeded advances of technological medical science has impressively reduced mortality rates amongst organisms who historically could not survive congenital or other medical defects, to now live lengthy lives with their mental or medical disability (US Statistical Abstract, 2001). This trend is reflected in the ever growing monies expended annually on long-term institutional care as well as in other areas of service provision for this select population (Baker, & Blacher, 2002; Lakin, Prouty, Coucouvanis, & Polister, 2004). Accordingly, as more parents find themselves beginning a life-long journey into the caretaking of children with a chronic disability, increased attention has been paid to such caretaking populations from the mental health and related fields of study.
Fortunately, the mental health and marital satisfaction of such parents is not as pervasively impairing as was once thought (Risdal, & Singer, 2004), although such findings still need more analysis with regard to cultural relativity, intensity of disability deficit, and possible comorbidity with other disorders before being conclusive (Baker, Blacher, Crnic, & Edelbrock, 2002; Turnbull, 2004). Further, this reframe is guardedly optimistic, and may be akin to stating that going bankrupt is not as devastating as one might expect. In sum, even those parents who exhibit the most healthy perspectives in such a dilemma still portend a life-long struggle with seemingly relentless combinations of possible sleep deprivation, emotional and often physical pain, marital disturbance, significant self-doubt and worry, ambiguous loss, social isolation, and uncertainty about the future (Abbeduto et al., 2004; Borgioli & Kennedy, 2003; Strickler, 2001).
The reality of emotional pain and discomfort amongst caretakers of children with a chronic disability makes salient the need for effective therapeutic strategies sufficient to help such populations. The attractiveness of offering such services has not only philanthropic and intuitive appeal, but also makes practical sense in terms of reducing the need for high cost institutional centers, expensive court proceedings, and reduction of physical violence too often associated with caretakers in such a role (Lakin, et al., 2004; Strickler, 2001).
– Heath Sommer
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