Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Click here to sign up for SAGE Journal Email Alerts today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Qualitative Health Research
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by King, G.
Right arrow Articles by Law, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by King, G.
Right arrow Articles by Law, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?

Organizational Characteristics and Issues Affecting the Longevity of Self-Help Groups for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Gillian King

Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Western Ontario, Psychology Department of Huron College (at the University of Western Ontario), CanChild at McMaster University.

Debra Stewart

School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University, CanChild.

Susanne King

School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University, CanChild.

Mary Law

School of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University, CanChild.

In this article, the organizational characteristics and issues affecting the maintenance of nine self-help groups for parents of children with special needs are discussed. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with 20 parents and observation of six group meetings. For continued existence, groups must deal with the challenges of encouraging new leaders, attracting new members, obtaining funds or assistance to support their activities, and meeting the changing needs of members. Important organizational characteristics associated with longevity are committed and effective leadership, community connections that help provide needed funds or practical assistance, and the willingness of group members to change activities to meet changing needs. This information can be used by parents and service providers to plan new groups, recruit group members, and ensure the effective functioning of groups as they change over time.

Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 10, No. 2, 225-241 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/104973200129118381
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Arch. Dis. Child.Home page
S Davies and D Hall
"Contact A Family": professionals and parents in partnership
Arch. Dis. Child., October 1, 2005; 90(10): 1053 - 1057.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Qual Health ResHome page
J. Coreil, J. Wilke, and I. Pintado
Cultural Models of Illness and Recovery in Breast Cancer Support Groups
Qual Health Res, September 1, 2004; 14(7): 905 - 923.
[Abstract] [PDF]