Family Developmental Tasks Recognized by Fathers who Take Care of their Children with Severe Cerebral Palsy in Transition to Adulthood at Home.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25862213
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: Chubu University
• Principal Investigator: OMURA Masaki 中部大学, 看護実習センター, 助教 (80586842)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 家族発達課題 / 重度脳性麻痺児・者 / 青年期 / 父親

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of the present study was to clarify, from the perspective of a father, the developmental tasks of families providing homecare to children with severe cerebral palsy who have finished schooling.　We conducted semi-structured interviews with three fathers of children with severe cerebral palsy in their 20s. Qualitative data were divided into subcategories and categories using a qualitative descriptive analysis.
The developmental tasks perceived by the three fathers were four categories. Although the children had secondary disabilities including respiratory problems and dysphagia, families succeeded in “maintaining ties with the community and society” while receiving external stimuli by medical care to “maintain the child’s health.” By overcoming these experiences, families avoided thinking too much about the future and perceived “having a positive attitude toward the present” as a developmental task.

Free Research Field

発達看護学