Jean-Marie Bouchard

Longitudinal effects of an early family intervention programme on the adaptation of parents of children with a disability

This study assesses the longitudinal effects of an original early intervention programme on the adaptation of parents of children with a disability (Down syndrome and cleft lip/palate, i.e. DS and CLP). Variations in the effects of the programme according to the time of measurement, the type of disability and parents gender are also examined. Globally, the results show a better adaptation among parents who participated in the intervention programme compared to those who did not participated in the programme. These parents had lower levels of parental stress, they had more positive perceptions and attitudes concerning their childs disability and their parental situation, they were more confident in their own resources and the help they could receive from others, they had lower levels of emotional distress, anxiety and depression and they perceived more emotional support from their spouse. In general, these gains were maintained throughout the year when the children were between six and 18 months of age, they were relatively similar for parents of children with DS and parents of children with CLP, as well as for mothers and fathers.

Le partenariat entre les parents et les intervenants: des perceptions aux réalisations

La nozione di «partenariato» e oggi al centro dell’attenzione degli addetti ai lavori per quanto riguarda le relazioni tra genitori e educatori. Da anni i genitori non sono piu considerati come osservatori passivi dei processi educativi dei loro figli, ma sono invece indotti ad assumere un ruolo attivo e collaborativo e a mettere a disposizione degli educatori le proprie conoscenze. Nel medesimo tempo, questi ultimi hanno sviluppato competenze relazionali e comunicative atte a favorire il rapporto con i genitori. Sul piano pedagogico si tratta di progettare interventi che valorizzino i principi di empowerment, enabling e collaborazione reciproca. Oltre a fornire un inquadramento concettuale di questa tematica, il contributo esamina alcuni interventi condotti presso strutture educative rivolte a bambini disabili in Quebec nel quadro della formazione di giovani universitari tirocinanti e pure nell’ambito delle attivita di valutazione dei propri figli da parte dei genitori.