IN FOCUS: Explore the future of profession - 2022
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/25599
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Item Experiences of mothers of children with hearing loss-a qualitative analysis(University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2022) Madushani, K.D. I; Ileperuma, L.D.Background: If the professional can determine what the mother thinks, feels and how to adapt to the child's condition, it can predict how effectively the treatments can be implemented. This study aimed to explore the experiences of mothers of children with permanent hearing loss. This included which coping strategies were used throughout their experience to adapt individually to the diagnosis of children's hearing loss and support and services received to adapt to the diagnosis were studied. Methods: This was a qualitative study using a phenomenological approach. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study population was fifteen mothers of children with permanent childhood hearing loss (PCHL). Three mothers of children with PCHL were recruited for the pilot study and twelve mothers were recruited in the main study. Mothers of children with other co-existing impairments such as cognitive, physical disabilities and mothers with hearing impairment were excluded from the study. Results: The study revealed six major themes: initial thoughts, initial reactions, current challenges, coping strategies, expectations, and support and services received. Additionally, six subthemes also emerged, in which four types of coping strategies were identified: problem-focus, emotional-focus, social support and religious focus. Two subthemes were identified under the support and services received: satisfied experiences and dissatisfied experiences. Conclusions: Parental involvement is a vital part of the management process of children with disabilities. Based on the mother's positive adaptation to the child’s condition, parental involvement in the children can be judged. The themes identified explained the experiences of mothers' adaptation to the child’s hearing loss and the support and services received for mothers to adapt to the child's hearing loss. If professionals understand what mothers are thinking and feeling, it follows that they will be able to work more effectively in their treatment collaborations with mothers of children with hearing loss.Item Working with and learning from children with disabilities: Experiences of speech and hearing sciences undergraduates at the University of Kelaniya(University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2022) Chandramali, S.P.D.; Athauda, L.Background: Undergraduate Speech and Hearing Sciences students work closely with children with disabilities in their clinical training. When working with children with disabilities, there are many experiences that can be gained throughout the academic years. Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of working with and learning from children with disabilities among Speech and Hearing Sciences (SHS) undergraduates at the University of Kelaniya. Methods: A total of 15 students participated in the study. These qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted among SHS students at the University of Kelaniya. The experiences of the participants with regard to working with children with disabilities, how experiences affect their personal and career lives in the future, how experiences affect their academic lives, the availability of services for children with disability, the view of society towards children with disability were all discussed in the interviews. Interviews were transcribed, analysed, and translated using a narrative thematic analysis method. Inductive coding was conducted manually by the research student and the supervisor.Results: Four themes emerged from the collected data with both positive and negative aspects: ‘Positive and negative behaviour of children and parents,’ ‘Positive and negative impression of society on children with disabilities,’ ‘Positive and negative emotions of the students’ and ‘Positive and negative impact on self and future career ‘. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that positive and negative experiences have influenced their personal lives and future career. Participants highlighted the importance of increasing speech therapy services in Sri Lanka and raising awareness about children with disability and about the rehabilitation services for those children.Item Identifying Sri Lankan mothers’ lived experiences of supporting a child with dyslexia: A pilot study(University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2022) Yasora, C.A.W.H.; Perera, B.M.R.K.Background: Dyslexia is a pattern of learning difficulties characterized by problems with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor decoding, and poor spelling abilities. Having a reading difficulty can affect children’s academic achievements as well as social success. Mothers play an important role in speech and language therapy programs especially when speech and language therapists provide reading intervention for children with dyslexia. Objectives: The main purpose of the study was to identify Sri Lankan mothers’ lived experience of supporting children with dyslexia. Methods: This research was a qualitative study. Private clinics in Sri Lanka which have clients with dyslexia-related caseloads were taken as the study settings for this study. Ten parents of 7 – 10-year-old children with dyslexia were the study population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an interview guide which consisted of 15 questions. Data collection interviews were conducted via telephone. Data received from the interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes have emerged from the transcripts of the interviews which are awareness about dyslexia, experience mothers face when teaching children with dyslexia, and expectations of mothers. Under the main 3 themes, eight subthemes have emerged from the collected data. Findings have shown mothers' lack of awareness and knowledge about dyslexia, the challenges, and strengths mothers face during teaching before and during the Covid 19 pandemic, and also mothers' expectations for their children. Conclusion: The current study revealed the experience mothers face when teaching a child with dyslexia. Besides, this study provides insights and information for speech and language therapists to support mothers who have children with dyslexia.