Att se sitt barn med nya ögon
en narrativ studie om föräldrars upplevelse och meningsskapande när deras barn får diagnosen autistiskt syndrom
MeningsskapandeFöräldraskapBerättelseNarrativFenomenologisk hermeneutikDiagnosisAutistic disorderAutismParenthoodMeaningStoryPhenomenological hermeneuticsNarrativeAutistiskt syndromDiagnosPsychologyPsykologiSocial Sciences
Based on phenomenological hermeneutics and narrative theory the study explored how parents experience and create meaning when the child receives the diagnosis of autistic disorder. Interviews were conducted with eight parents and the analysis concerned both contents and form in their stories. The resulting aspects of the contents is presented in seven areas: stories about the time before the diagnosis, seeking help, receiving the diagnosis, the meaning of the diagnosis, coping, living with autism and stories about the future. The six resulting aspects of form included: chronology of the stories, creating order out of chaos, cultural norms, rewriting the story about the child, aspects of metaphors and changing perspective. The conclusion of the study is that the diagnosis serves as a way for the parents to transform experiences into a meaningful whole. This is made possible by using a culturally shared meta-story, the story of the diagnosis. To conform their own story to a culturally shared one facilitates meaning-making and to share their stories with other parents, which is of great importance for how they experience their own life.