VIDBE-Q Volume 64 Issue 4
63
DeEtte L. Snyder, PhD; Outreach Director for EI/ECSE;
Washington State School for the Blind;
DeEtte.Snyder@wssb.wa.gov
A phenomenological research study was conducted to explore and
identify the shared experiences between mothers of children with visual
impairment (VI) as it relates to the supports they give and receive from
each other. The central phenomenon was defined as the particular type
and use of informal social support exchanged between mothers of children
with a range of disabilities, known as parent-to-parent social support.
Six mothers were interviewed; each a parent of a child with VI and
additional disabilities. The interviews followed a semi-structured
conversational format with questions focused on the feelings of parenting
competency before and after the connection to another parent, types of
support received (emotional, instructional, informational), types of support
preferred (in person or online, local or national, structured or casual), and
perceived benefits of support on parenting confidence and resilience. The
Momma Bear and Bootstraps: Using Poetry to Represent the
Power of Parent to Parent Social Support
