Abstract
This qualitative study explored the ways in which mothers of children with Down syndrome interpreted their experiences of motherhood. The narratives of 19 mothers were analyzed. The findings indicate that their identities as mothers were negotiated in the context of the sociocultural meaning of disability and dominant narratives on motherhood. In institutional and interpersonal discourses, they became positioned as other. Their narratives shed light on their resistance to otherness, their contextualized understanding of mothering a child with Down syndrome, and the ways in which they negotiated access to the constructed category of normative motherhood. The study suggests that a conceptual shift is needed in understanding the familial experience of raising a child with Down syndrome. Moving away from assumptions of negative outcomes for these families, professionals need to acknowledge the embeddedness of their experiences in sociocultural beliefs and practices that devalue children with disabilities.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 276-293 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Narrative Inquiry |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Dec 2011 |
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Keywords
- Attitudes towards disability
- Children with disabilities
- Down syndrome
- Families
- Family-professional partnerships
- Motherhood
Cite this
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Constructing the (m)other : Dominant and contested narratives on mothering a child with Down syndrome. / Lalvani, Priya.
In: Narrative Inquiry, Vol. 21, No. 2, 01.12.2011, p. 276-293.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Constructing the (m)other
T2 - Dominant and contested narratives on mothering a child with Down syndrome
AU - Lalvani, Priya
PY - 2011/12/1
Y1 - 2011/12/1
N2 - This qualitative study explored the ways in which mothers of children with Down syndrome interpreted their experiences of motherhood. The narratives of 19 mothers were analyzed. The findings indicate that their identities as mothers were negotiated in the context of the sociocultural meaning of disability and dominant narratives on motherhood. In institutional and interpersonal discourses, they became positioned as other. Their narratives shed light on their resistance to otherness, their contextualized understanding of mothering a child with Down syndrome, and the ways in which they negotiated access to the constructed category of normative motherhood. The study suggests that a conceptual shift is needed in understanding the familial experience of raising a child with Down syndrome. Moving away from assumptions of negative outcomes for these families, professionals need to acknowledge the embeddedness of their experiences in sociocultural beliefs and practices that devalue children with disabilities.
AB - This qualitative study explored the ways in which mothers of children with Down syndrome interpreted their experiences of motherhood. The narratives of 19 mothers were analyzed. The findings indicate that their identities as mothers were negotiated in the context of the sociocultural meaning of disability and dominant narratives on motherhood. In institutional and interpersonal discourses, they became positioned as other. Their narratives shed light on their resistance to otherness, their contextualized understanding of mothering a child with Down syndrome, and the ways in which they negotiated access to the constructed category of normative motherhood. The study suggests that a conceptual shift is needed in understanding the familial experience of raising a child with Down syndrome. Moving away from assumptions of negative outcomes for these families, professionals need to acknowledge the embeddedness of their experiences in sociocultural beliefs and practices that devalue children with disabilities.
KW - Attitudes towards disability
KW - Children with disabilities
KW - Down syndrome
KW - Families
KW - Family-professional partnerships
KW - Motherhood
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84855213957&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1075/ni.21.2.06lal
DO - 10.1075/ni.21.2.06lal
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84855213957
VL - 21
SP - 276
EP - 293
JO - Narrative Inquiry
JF - Narrative Inquiry
SN - 1387-6740
IS - 2
ER -