Meaning-making and resilience in parents of children with complex care needs

Abstract

This study explored: (1) the ways and extent to which parents of children with complex care needs (CCCN) find and create meaning in their caregiving experiences; and (2) parents’ perceptions of the relationship between resilience and meaning-making. The sample included seven parents who were recruited through online support groups, NaviCare/SoinsNavi (NB patient navigation centre’s family advisory council, and word of mouth. They participated in semi-structured qualitative phone interviews, which were eventually analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012). Overall, this study found that parents of CCCN made several meanings of their caregiving experiences, including but not limited to acceptance, growth, resilience, and finding purpose. As a conclusion of this study, the findings suggest that meaning-making in parents of CCCN likely follows an iterative and ongoing process. Furthermore, perceived parental meaning-making seems to be instrumental in their ability to cope with caregiving’s difficulties.