title: Sorrow, coping and resiliency: parents of children with cerebral palsy share their experiences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the grieving, coping and resiliency experiences of parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to investigate the suitability of chronic sorrow theory as a framework to understand those experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study combined focus groups with a web-based cross-sectional survey to explore chronic sorrow in parents of children with CP. Eight parents of children with CP participated in focus groups. The discussion was transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was performed. A further 94 parents participated in the web-based survey study in which they completed the Adapted Burke Questionnaire on chronic sorrow. A content analysis of responses was used to confirm the primary qualitative analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reports of parents in the focus group were consistent with chronic sorrow theory, as were the responses of parents to the web-based survey. Some parents found the diagnosis itself a distressing time whereas others found it a relief. Parents reported that times of medical and allied health intervention were particularly challenging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic sorry theory is a useful way of understanding the experiences of parents of children with CP. It is recommended that health practitioners are mindful that, even years after diagnosis, parents of children with CP may experience intensified chronic sorrow symptoms following a triggering event and that this is normal.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehaabilitation Research Centre, The School of Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences, Brisbane, Australia. koawhittingham@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Koa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Whittingham
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Roslyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boyd
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires