중증 장애아 조부모의 경험 및 역할에 대한 인식

The Perspectives of Grandparents of Children with Severs Disabilities on Their Experiences and Roles: The Qualitative Analysis using Software

본 연구는 중증 장애아동의 조부모가 인식하는 경험과 역할을 이해하기 위하여 질적 연구접근을 통한 현상학적 연구방법을 사용하였다. 본 연구에는 중증장애아동의 조부모 10명이 참여하였으며, 이들은 준구조적 및 개방적 인터뷰에 응답하였다. 인터뷰는 60-90분 정도가 소요되었으며, 연구 참여자의 동의를 얻어 인터뷰 내용은 녹음되었다. 녹음된 인터뷰 자료는 전사되었으며, 질적 연구자료 분석 소프트웨어인 NVivo 7에 저장되었다. NVivo 7을 이용하여 인터뷰 내용에 대한 코딩(coding), 개념화(conceptualizing), 그리고 범주(categories)를 확정하였다. 또한 녹음된 내용과 전사한 내용에 대한 반복 청취 및 읽기, 그리고 참여자 확인(member checking)을 통해 질적 연구자료에 대한 신뢰성(credibility)을 높이고자 하였다. 분석 결과, 손자녀의 장애에 대한 조부모의 초기 반응 및 적응, 손자녀와의 상호작용을 통한 조부모 참여, 손자녀의 부모를 위한 조부모 지원, 손자녀의 장애가 조부모에게 미친 영향, 그리고 장애아 조부모의 요구라는 다섯 가지 주제로 정리되었다.

The study investigated how the grandparents of children with severe disabilities perceive their experiences and roles. This study used a qualitative methodology, especially focused on phenomenology. Ten grandparents participated in qualitative interviews. The interviews were implemented in the participant's home, the child' school, or the facilities of the child's special education services. The duration was diverse, but they generally lasted 60 to 90 minutes. In order to manage and analyze the collected data in the qualitative analysis, the researcher used NVivo 7 (designed by QSR). NVivo 7 stores all the interview transcriptions as well as coded, analyzed, and categorized data. After each interview, a transcription of the audio recordings was completed. A computer word-processing program was used to transcribe each interview word-for-word. The find and replace feature of the word processing program gave substitute names to the original participants. The interview transcripts were subsequently transferred into NVivo 7. The results of grandparent interviews were organized according to 5 themes that were identified in the analysis. As initial reactions after learning about their grandchild's disability, grandparents felt denial, frustration, grief, and sadness. Although grandparents experienced these initial negative reactions, they adjusted to having a grandchild with a disability as time passed. Grandparents interacted with their grandchild by spending time together. Grandparents provided support for the child's parents practically, emotionally, and/or financially. Grandparents need support for themselves to better implement their grandparent role. This study insists that like the necessity of support for parents of children with disabilities, support for grandparents is also significant and necessary. Therefore, educators and professionals who work with families of children with disabilities need to recognize grandparents' important role in these families.