Parenting a Child With Down Syndrome: A Phenomenographic Study

In this study, mothers ' experiences of parenting a child with Down syndrome are explored. The research employed a phenomenographic methodology. Interviews were conducted with five mothers who had a child with Down syndrome between the ages of three to eight years. The study was conducted in Singapore. Six qualitatively different aspects of the parenting experience are identified. The findings show, despite an immense impact on family life, the mothers did not view their situation in a negative way. Their resilience was evident, although they reported that significant adjustments were made. While the sample size in this exploratory study is small, the findings provide a new understanding about parenting a child with Down syndrome within a particular cultural context. While many quantitative studies have examined the experience of families who have a child with disability (e.g., Ainge, Covin, & Baker, 1998