Transformadores de instrumentación

The next two chapters focus on literature review. The review includes empirical studies on disability and families. The review further includes a focus on theoretical framework upon which this study was based.

1.7.1 Chapter two: Key Theoretical Themes

This chapter situates disability and gender at a theoretical level and shows how an intersection of the two can disadvantage mothers. It also presents the conception of disability within the context of a social model of disability, feminist intersectionality and social empowerment model. This chapter further highlights the values, beliefs and ideologies that maintain male domination and relegates mothers to the role of caregiving.

1.7.2 Chapter three: Engaging with Literature on Parenting a Disabled Child

This chapter focuses on the main body of literature relating to disability, motherhood and parenting children with disabilities. This chapter draws primarily on empirical studies on motherhood and disability undertaken in various parts of the world, with an emphasis especially on studies conducted in the United Kingdom, East and Southern Africa. Literature from these countries and regions is relevant to this study because of similarities that Zambia shares with them. This chapter further identifies gaps in literature and diversity with regard to gender and parenting.

1.7.3 Chapter four: Methods and Methodology

In this chapter, I reflexively discuss the research paradigm used in the study, and demonstrate its theoretical and empirical appropriateness for the study. A modest participatory element was incorporated within the study and this is reviewed. I also address among other issues, underpinning philosophical

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assumptions, methodological and ethical issues. The methods used, and the necessary skills of the interviewer are also critically evaluated in relation to adducing the views of often marginalised participants. The chapter also focuses on the aspects of pre-fieldwork, fieldwork and post fieldwork activities such as data analysis and interpretation. Mothers who took part in the study are introduced in this chapter.

1.7.4 Chapter five: Becoming a Mother of a Child with Disabilities

The next three chapters present findings that emerged from the analysis of data from interviews with the thirty mothers involved in the study. This first findings chapter provides insight into what it means to become a mother of a child with disabilities. The chapter further illuminates how mothers and their significant others reacted to the diagnosis of the child’s condition. The chapter highlights both the decisions to seek help and how the decisions were made and the difficulties mothers experienced.

1.7.5 Chapter six: Transitions and Critical Thoughts: Trajectories and Shifting Circumstances over Time

In this chapter, I highlight how the mothers adjusted and adapted to their child’s disability over time: it examines the beliefs surrounding disability and how mothers perceived themselves and their child’s condition over time. I also explore the impact of the child’s disability over time on the relationships of mothers with their significant others, and how this impinged on their own health and wellbeing. The chapter also includes a discussion about the joys mothers derived from parenting a child with disabilities.

1.7.6 Chapter seven: The Present and the Future: The Lifelong Journey of Mothering a Child with Disabilities

Chapter seven discusses how mothers were coping with the challenges associated with raising a child with disabilities. I also highlight the mothers’

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expectations for the future. In this chapter, I discuss the role and significance of parent-support groups as well as formal support systems to mothers. I also demonstrate how the mothers perceived these groups and their motivation for joining support groups.

1.7.7 Chapter eight: Motherhood, Mothering and Children with Disabilities Understanding their Experiences using Theoretical Frameworks

This chapter interprets the findings of my study and evaluates them within the context of the theoretical frameworks used in the study. I demonstrate how the use of the three theoretical frameworks (social model of disability, feminist intersectionality and social empowerment model) simultaneously allowed for an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of mothers. Further, I explain how the use of theoretical perspectives allowed me to reflect on the relationship between social conditions and how these have a bearing on the lives of mothers of children with disabilities.

1.7.8 Chapter nine: Conclusion

This chapter summarises the main findings of the study and highlights the implications of the study. In this chapter, I also claim original contribution of my study to the body of knowledge. The chapter also discusses the limitations of the study.

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Chapter Two

Key Theoretical Themes and Issues related to the

lives of Mothers

2.1 Introduction

This chapter discusses the role of indigenous knowledge in understanding disability within the Zambian context. It however, focuses mainly on how theories and models of disability developed in the western countries shaped the direction and themes of this thesis. It also draws on a broader research context arising from the extensive literature on the lives of families including mothers of children with disabilities, as a basis for the thesis. This chapter helps identify and frame the research questions for the thesis and establishes the basis for a study which focused on the ways in which disability was theorised and understood within a number of disciplines. The chapter focuses on a framework using insights from different, but nonetheless interrelated and overlapping theoretical underpinnings (as shown in fig.1 below) in understanding the perspectives of mothers: the social model of disability, feminist theories (intersectionality and motherhood), and the social empowerment model.

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Figure 1: Theoretical perspectives

This chapter will critically evaluate the three theoretical perspectives that have provided a conceptual framework for this study. It will start with a discussion on how the theoretical frameworks derive from the western perspective and will acknowledge the importance of indigenous frameworks and how these contribute to understanding disability. This will be followed by discussion on the social model of disability as an overarching model because it is the foremost approach in theorising disability and caregiving from the socio-cultural perspective, and how carers perceive the disability of their own children. The third section utilises feminist theory. There are two dimensions that will be outlined in relation to the contribution of feminist perspectives. One lies in feminist theorisation of motherhood and the significance of gender to parenting. The other illustrates the more recent contribution of intersectional theorising, and it looks at gender and intersection of different social oppressions. Finally, the chapter looks at how the social model of empowerment can contribute to understanding the relationship between disability and poverty experienced by mothers of children with disabilities that has been repeatedly highlighted in empirical research. This perspective focuses on the relationship between social power and poverty, and illustrates how lack of access to social power hinders

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a household’s ability to engage in social activities. Each theoretical framework makes a contribution to understanding the lived experiences of mothers. They also resonate with the existing research. The theoretical perspectives complement each other in giving a holistic picture of the living circumstances of mothers of children with disabilities, although each also needs to be critically evaluated.

The rationale for using the above stated theoretical frameworks is to allow a greater depth of understanding of the multi-faceted perspectives of mothers. In addition, an extensive literature review revealed that, to date, no study had used them as an integrated framework to understanding mothering a child with disabilities. Studies have been undertaken that used a social model of disability (Morgan, 2012, Blackburn et al., 2010, Connors and Stalker, 2007, Dowling and Dolan, 2001); feminist perspectives (Edwardraj et al., 2010, Erevelles and Minear, 2010, Davis, 2008) and social empowerment model (Wilson, 2011) but no study has focused on experiences of such mothers using insights from the three theoretical perspectives simultaneously.