Parents' Perspectives on Coping with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Concomitant Specific Learning Disabilities

Authors

  • Carol L. Webb

Abstract

This study addresses parental perspectives and coping strategies related to Duchenne muscular dystrophy and specific learning disabilities. Data were collected through individual semi-structured in-depth interviews with fifteen sets of parents. Participants were selected based on variables such as age of children, number of children with both conditions in the family, and geographic location. The sample represented families with sons aged 5-23 from twelve states. All the sons had varying rates of progression (age at which the boys no longer walked) from 7-14 and diagnosed specific learning disabilities. The interviews were taped, transcribed, and analyzed using grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) and constant comparative analysis (Glaser, 1994).

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Section

Articles