Navigating the “Blind World”: The psychosocial and occupational experiences of parents of adolescents with visual impairments

Abstract

Although research has shown that parenting an adolescent with a visual impairment may present unique challenges, a few studies have examined how parents negotiate such challenges and the meanings they derive from their parenting experiences. Using a constructivist narrative inquiry approach, this study explored how four parents of adolescents with visual impairments storied their psychosocial and occupational experiences of childrearing. A holistic-content analysis and thematic analysis of participants’ narrative accounts was conducted, resulting in the identification of the following five themes: (1) Grief, Uncertainty, and Frustration During the Early Years; (2) Identity as An Advocate; (3) Enabling Independence and Planning for the Future; (4) Navigating Challenges in Getting Required Support: Frustrations and Successes; and (5) Changed Perceptions Within the Context of Societal Misunderstanding. Findings of this study address a gap in the current body of literature by highlighting the complexity of parents’ experiences along the journey of raising an adolescent with a visual impairment. These complexities are important to address in low vision rehabilitation practice to best support parents and youth, and further research is required to inform such practice.