Exploring the Advocacy Process and Its Products among Parents of Children with Disabilities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Advocacy is often an expectation for parents of children with disabilities. However, little is known about the process and products (i.e., outcomes) of parent advocacy experiences. Without understanding parent perceptions of their advocacy experiences, it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of parent advocacy. To this end, the purpose of this study was to explore positive (i.e., successful) and negative (i.e., unsuccessful) advocacy experiences of parents of children with disabilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 43 parents of children with disabilities. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyze the interview data. The advocacy process was the same regardless of whether the advocacy experience was positive or negative. Participants reported positive advocacy experiences reinforced future advocacy efforts whereas negative advocacy experiences had mixed effects on their future advocacy. Implications for research and practice are discussed.