Caught Off Guard: Parenting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic

Salih Rakap, Meryem Vural Batık, Mustafa Karnas, Sinan Kalkan, Uygar Bayrakdar & Halil Ibrahim Sari

doi:https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2023.534.3

Original article | International Journal of Progressive Education 2023, Vol. 19(2) 37-53

Caught Off Guard: Parenting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic

Salih Rakap, Meryem Vural Batık, Mustafa Karnas, Sinan Kalkan, Uygar Bayrakdar & Halil Ibrahim Sari

pp. 37 - 53 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2023.534.3 | Manu. Number: MANU-2211-12-0001

Published online: April 01, 2023 | Number of Views: 148 | Number of Download: 380

Save PDF

Abstract

Families of children with disabilities faced significant challenges during COVID-19 pandemic due to the social isolation and restrictions put in place to reduce or stop transmission of the virus. Using a qualitative approach, this study aimed to identify the challenges children with disabilities and their families have faced during COVID-19 pandemic as a result of changes in their daily routines; examine the strategies and resources families used to deal with these problems; and determine the supports they needed to address them. Data were collected from 40 parents of children with disabilities through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results of qualitative analysis showed that challenges encountered by families of children with disabilities included changes in daily routines and family priorities, increased problem behaviors exhibited by children, difficulties regarding virtual learning, and adverse impact in intra-family relationships. Consulting with teachers and other professionals, getting help from close family members or friends, using different education platforms, and bonding with family members were among the strategies and resources families used to address challenges they faced. Parents reported needs for psychological, economic, and education support for themselves and their children. COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted lives of children with disabilities and their families in multiple ways. Findings of this study have potentials to guide the future efforts in providing support services to families of children with disabilities and allocating resources in similar situations.

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic, Children With Disabilities, Parents, Challenges, Resources, Supports, Needs

How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Rakap, S., Batik, M.V., Karnas, M., Kalkan, S., Bayrakdar, U. & Sari, H.I. (2023). Caught Off Guard: Parenting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic . International Journal of Progressive Education, 19(2), 37-53. doi: 10.29329/ijpe.2023.534.3

Harvard
Rakap, S., Batik, M., Karnas, M., Kalkan, S., Bayrakdar, U. and Sari, H. (2023). Caught Off Guard: Parenting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic . International Journal of Progressive Education, 19(2), pp. 37-53.

Chicago 16th edition
Rakap, Salih, Meryem Vural Batik, Mustafa Karnas, Sinan Kalkan, Uygar Bayrakdar and Halil Ibrahim Sari (2023). "Caught Off Guard: Parenting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic ". International Journal of Progressive Education 19 (2):37-53. doi:10.29329/ijpe.2023.534.3.

References

Ahmen, D., Buheji, M., & Fardan, S. M. (2020). Re-emphasising the future family role in “care economy” as a result of covid-19 pandemic spillovers. American Journal of Economics, 10(6), 332-338. https://doi:10.5923/j.economics.20201006.03 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Aksoy, M., & Demirli, C. (2020). Examination of the situation of mothers with mental disabilities to cope with the difficulties they may face: Implementation of a family support training program. Education Sciences, 15(3), 73-84. [Google Scholar]
Alhuzimi, T. (2021). Stress and emotional wellbeing of parents due to change in routine for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at home during COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 108, 103822. [Google Scholar]
Ayda, N. K., Bastas, M., Altinay, F., Altinay, Z. & Dagli, G. (2020). Distance education for students with special needs in primary schools in the period of COVID-19 epidemic. Propósitosy Representaciones, 8(3), 587. http://dx.doi.org/10.20511/pyr2020.v8n3.587 [Google Scholar]
Basaran, M., & Aksoy, A. B. (2020). Parents’ views on the family lives in the coronavirus outbreak process. The Journal of International Social Research, 13(71), 668-678. [Google Scholar]
Bentenuto, A., Mazzoni, N., Giannotti, M., Venuti, P., & de Falco, S. (2021). Psychological impact of Covid-19 pandemic in Italian families of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 109, 103840. [Google Scholar]
Brown, S. M., Doom, J. R., Lechuga-Peña, S., Watamura, S. E., & Koppels, T. (2020). Stress and parenting during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Child Abuse & Neglect, 110(104699), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104699 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Cahapay, M. B. (2020). How Filipino parents home educate their children with autism during COVID-19 period. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1080/20473869.2020.1780554 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage. [Google Scholar]
Durukan, İ., Erdem, M., Tufan, A., & Türkbay, T. (2010). Coping strategies and relation of coping strategies with depression and anxiety levels of mothers of children with pervasive developmental disorders. Çocuk ve Gençlik Ruh Sağlığı Dergisi, 17(2), 75-82. [Google Scholar]
Ergul, B., & Yilmaz, V. (2020). Examination of family relationships during the COVID-19 outbreak with confirmatory factor analysis. IBAD Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 38-51. [Google Scholar]
Evans, S., Mikocka-Walus, A., Klas, A., Olive, L., Sciberras, E., Karantzas, G., & Westrupp, E. M. (2020). From ‘It has stopped our lives’ to ‘Spending more time together has strengthened bonds': The varied experiences of Australian families during COVID- 19. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, (588667), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.588667 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Garbe, A., Ogurlu, U., Logan, N., & Cook, P. (2020). Parents’ experiences with remote education during COVID-19 school closures. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 4(3), 45-65. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/8471 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Masonbrink, A. R., & Hurley, E. (2020). Advocating for children during the COVID-19 school closures. Pediatrics, 146(3). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-1440 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Narzisi, A. (2020). Handle the autism spectrum condition during coronavirus (COVID-19) stay at home period: Ten tips for helping parents and caregivers of young children. Brain Sciences, 10(4), 207. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10040207 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Prime, H., Wade, M., & Browne, D. T. (2020). Risk and resilience in family well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. American Psychologist Association, 75(5), 631-643. [Google Scholar]
Racine, N., Cooke, J. E., Eirich, R., Korczak, D. J., McArthur, B., & Madigan, S. (2020). Child and adolescent mental illness during COVID-19: A rapid review. Psychiatry research, 292(113307). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113307 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Rakap, S., Vural-Batık, M., Kalkan, S., Karnas, M., Sarı, H.I., & Bayrakdar, U. M. (2022). The hidden (overlooked) impact of living through a pandemic: How parents of children with disabilities fared during COVID-19? Frontiers in Education,7, 827230. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.827230 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Rakap, S., Karnas, M., Bayrakdar, U., Kalkan, S., Vural-Batik, M., & Sari, H. I. (2023). Virtual learning is not for my child! A parental perspective of practices used with children with autism during the pandemic. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, 10(2), 1821-1847. [Google Scholar]
Scheffers, F., van Vugt, E., & Moonen, X. (2021). Assessing the quality of support and discovering sources of resilience during COVID-19 measures in people with intellectual disabilities by professional carers. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 111, 103889. [Google Scholar]
Tippett, N., & Wolke, D. (2015). Aggression between siblings: Associations with the home environment and peer bullying. Aggressive behavior, 41(1), 14-24. [Google Scholar]
Toseeb, U., Asbury, K., Code, A., Fox, L., & Deniz, E. (2020). Supporting families with children with special educational needs and disabilities during COVID-19. PsyArXiv, https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/tm69k [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
Tsibidaki, A. (2021). Anxiety, meaning in life, self-efficacy and resilience in families with one or more members with special educational needs and disability during COVID-19 pandemic in Greece. Research in developmental disabilities, 109, 103830. [Google Scholar]
Tso, W. W., Wong, R. S., Tung, K. T., Rao, N., Fu, K. W., Yam, J. C.,. . . & Ip, P. (2020). Vulnerability and resilience in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01680-8 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]
United Nations. (2020). Policy brief: The impact of COVID-19 on children. https://unsdg.un.org/resources/policy-brief-impact-covid-19-children [Google Scholar]
Warner-Richter, M., & Lloyd C. M. (2020). Considerations for building post-covid early care and education systems that serve children with disabilities. Child Trends. [Google Scholar]
Zhang, H. (2020). The influence of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on family violence in China. Journal of Family Violence, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-020-00196-8 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

Volume 19 Issue 2

April 2023

All Articles