Parenting Experience of Parents with Chronically Ill Children

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to describe the parenting experience of parents of children with chronic illness in Korea. METHODS: A conventional contents analysis was used for the study. Twelve mothers of chronically ill children participated in the study. Qualitative data were analyzed using the Morse and Field method. RESULTS: Four categories, 10 subcategories and 42 codes emerged from the data on the parenting experience of parents of children with chronic illness. The four categories were 'Sacrifice and full-engagement within self-mortification', 'Renormalization of collapsed daily life', 'Paving a new way for independence' and 'Growing together of myself and the family'. CONCLUSION: Parents of children with chronic illness experienced not only negative aspects such as a confusion but also re-normalization and growing together. Based on the results, health professionals need to develop effective nursing interventions toward positive parenting for these parents and their children with chronic illnesses.