The phenomenon of transformation from help seeking to help giving: the role of family-run organizations

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Laura J. Weber (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Leila Villaverde

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experience of parents who staffed family-run organizations funded under System of Care (SOC) grants between1994 and 2011 in a single U.S state. For this study, I used a qualitative, interpretive phenomenological research method. The two theoretical constructs that undergird this study are empowerment theory and feminist theory. This study shows the transformative power of the family-run organization model through a gendered lens that examines the roles of class, race, and gender. In just a few years, mothers with limited resources went from feeling powerless to feeling powerful, from feeling devalued to valuable. These feelings were accompanied by actions that speak to the behavioral component of empowerment, in a manner that is reflective of the unique ways that women behave in roles of leadership and power.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2013
Keywords
Empowerment
Subjects
Child mental health
Child mental health services
Mothers of children with disabilities
Power (Social sciences)

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