Emerging resilience: stress and coping strategies in Chinese families living with children with disabilities

Abstract

China is a country with a strong tradition of family-centered care, and family members are the main caregivers for children with disabilities. This article aims to explore how they overcome difficulties when faced with challenges and to examine the emergence of family resilience. This study adopted a qualitative research method, and two rounds of in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 families. The findings combined family resilience theory and inductive themes from empirical experiences. As a result of the stigma associated with disability, such families may feel ashamed and lose their ‘face’. Their family belief system includes the destiny view and living in the moment, which allows them to make sense of their situation and maintain a positive outlook. Conclusions revealed how parents perceive their situation and construct their family’s organizational and communication patterns to cope with challenges.