Treloar Linda L
Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, Arizona 85256, USA.
J Adv Nurs. 2002 Dec;40(5):594-603. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2002.02417.x.
This paper reports the findings of a qualitative interpretive study that explored how people with disabilities and family members use their spiritual beliefs to establish meaning for disability, and to respond to the challenges of lived experience with disability. The participants' perceptions of the evangelical Christian church's influence on their spiritual experiences related to disability suggest recommendations for improved integration by the church. Applications are drawn for helping professionals and religious leaders who provide holistic care.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE: Although there is a well-established literature on coping in families with disabled children, little is known about how people use spiritual beliefs to establish meaning for and respond to life with disability. Even less is known about how people with a particular set of shared spiritual beliefs make meaning for lived experience with disability.
DESIGN/METHODS: The author interviewed 30 persons, comprising two major groups: 13 parents of children with mixed developmental disabilities and nine adults with physical disabilities. Predominantly white, the participants lived in a south-western metropolitan area in the United States of America (USA) in 1998.
Trial or difficulty contributed to spiritual challenge, the breaking of self, reliance on God, and strengthened faith in God. The participants chose to live with thankfulness and joy despite difficulties common to experience with disability. The participants' spiritual beliefs stabilized their lives, providing meaning for the experience of disability, assistance with coping and other benefits. The participants' recommendations include increased assistance by the church in promoting theological understanding of disability, and religious support using a continuing model of caring.
Although the study design limits the generalizability of the findings, applications can be drawn for helping professionals and religious leaders who provide holistic care
本文报告了一项定性解释性研究的结果，该研究探讨了残疾人和家庭成员如何利用他们的精神信仰来为残疾赋予意义，并应对残疾生活经历带来的挑战。参与者对福音派基督教会对其与残疾相关的精神体验的影响的看法，为教会改进融合提出了建议。这些建议适用于提供整体护理的专业助人者和宗教领袖。
背景/基本原理：尽管有大量关于残疾儿童家庭应对的文献，但对于人们如何利用精神信仰来为残疾赋予意义并应对残疾生活，人们知之甚少。对于有特定共同精神信仰的人如何为残疾生活经历赋予意义，人们了解得更少。
设计/方法：作者采访了30人，包括两个主要群体：13名患有混合发育障碍儿童的父母和9名身体残疾的成年人。这些参与者主要是白人，于1998年居住在美国西南部的一个大都市地区。
考验或困难促成了精神挑战、自我的突破、对上帝的依赖以及对上帝信仰的强化。尽管残疾经历中存在常见困难，但参与者选择带着感恩和喜悦生活。参与者的精神信仰稳定了他们的生活，为残疾经历赋予了意义，在应对方面提供了帮助以及带来了其他益处。参与者的建议包括教会增加在促进对残疾的神学理解方面的帮助，以及采用持续关怀模式提供宗教支持。
尽管研究设计限制了研究结果的普遍性，但可为提供整体护理的专业助人者和宗教领袖提供应用参考
