Peer-reviewed article
Resilience and Love: A Phenomenological Study on the Parenting Experiences of Mothers with Physical Disabilities in the Northern Philippines
Rhoda Diwayan Aguid ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This qualitative study examined how seven mothers with physical disabilities in Mountain Province, Philippines experience parenting. Through interviews and thematic analysis, researchers found that despite challenges like financial instability and concerns about child safety, these mothers demonstrated resilience and developed effective coping strategies. The study revealed that physical disability does not prevent effective parenting and that mothers maintained strong family bonds through discipline, affection, and support systems. The research highlights the need for government and organizational support to help these families integrate into society.
Key points
- Seven mothers with physical disabilities were interviewed about their parenting experiences in Tadian, Mountain Province
- Main challenges identified were financial instability and child safety concerns
- Coping strategies included unconditional love and support from mothers' supporters
- Mothers exhibited resilience, flexibility, and commitment to parenting duties despite physical limitations
- Study recommends government and organizational support to foster acceptance and strengthen parent-child bonds
Limitations
This is a small qualitative study with only seven participants from one town in one province, so findings may not be generalizable to mothers with physical disabilities in other regions of the Philippines or other countries. The study does not include quantitative outcome measures for children's well-being or comparative data from mothers without disabilities.
Abstract
This research investigated the experiences of parents who have physical disabilities in raising children, emphasizing difficulties, coping strategies, and the core aspects of parenting using a qualitative method. Despite multiple studies relevant to the topic, to the best of my knowledge, no other work has explored this specific subject in the Philippines, particularly in Mountain Province. To address this, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven mothers residing in the town of Poblacion, Tadian, Mountain Province (Philippines). The analysis of the data was conducted through thematic analysis. The analysis identified six themes that surfaced among parents who have physical disabilities. These themes address two challenges, including nurturing care: financial instability and child safety; discipline: tough love and gentle love; two coping mechanisms, incorporating unconditional love and mothers’ supporters; and the two themes of the essence of parenting with physical disabilities, promoting child well-being, and self-love: unique and empowered. The results emphasized parenting with physical disabilities during everyday interactions with their children, revealing that despite their limitations, the mothers exhibited resilience, flexibility, and commitment in meeting parental duties and obligations. The physical disability did not impede effective parenting and encouraged parents to develop enhanced opportunities for both themselves and their children, cultivating a sense of purpose, significance, and robust connections within the family through a consistently upheld strong framework of discipline, affection within the family, and support in overcoming challenges. A significant result of this research indicates that parenting requires support from the government and other organizations to foster acceptance of individuality and strengthen parent-child bonds, which will assist in societal integration.