utilized availability sampling, thus making
generalizations difficult. Another significant
limitation of the research is the reliance on
self-report measures. For instance,
grandparents reported their grandchild’s
diagnosis. There were no reliability or validity
data pertaining to the accuracy of the selfreported
diagnosis. Finally, there was only
one controlled study found examining a
specific intervention for this population.
Previous researchers have done well to
identify a “new” population of need, but
further research is needed to fully understand
the scope of the problem and how best to
intervene. Further research could clarify
whether interventions that work with parents
would also be effective with grandparents.
Most importantly, this review of research
points out that there is a large variation in the
experience of caring for a child with a
disability. Practitioners need to be aware of
the fact that care giving produces both positive
and negative experiences. Parents and
grandparents may react to the care giving
experience in many different ways. In
addition, practitioners need to keep in mind
that caregivers and other family members
have needs for support in addition to the needs
of the child with the disability. This review of
literature points out that healthy family
functioning is important and that practitioners
need to support the needs of the entire family
and not just the needs of the child with a
disability. Finally, the research suggests that
the way family members perceive their care
giving experience may be just as important
for their coping and functioning as the actual
day-to-day demands of care giving.
Practitioners working with young children
can play an important role in helping family
members reframe their care giving experience
in positive ways and assisting family members
in feeling like they have the knowledge, skills,
and ability to successfully advocate for what
their children need.