Att växa upp med intellektuellt funktionsnedsatta föräldrar : en kvalitativ studie ur ett vuxet barnperspektiv

Sammanfattning: Based on self-perceived stories described in literature and documentary films, this study aims at analyzing how individuals, from an attachment theory perspective, feel that have been affected by growing up in a family in which one or both parents have an intellectual disability. Since the purpose of the study was to understand a context rather than explain and generalize it, a qualitative document study was chosen as method. The documents used in this study are an autobiography, a narrative article and two documentaries containing three individuals stories, all of which portray experiences of an upbringing with intellectually disabled parents. The findings showed that a majority of the individuals gave a rather negative description of their childhood. The individuals described childhood experiences such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse or neglect, where many of these often occurred together. Several individuals reported that they as children took an extensive responsibility at home and cared for their parents as well as for themselves. The findings also showed several factors in the individuals’ childhood that may have had a negative impact on their attachment. Two individuals believed that the social support that has affected their upbringing was that they were placed in foster care. For several others, experiences of a support family have had a positive impact on their childhood. Moreover, we have been able to interpret that most of the individuals have experienced a lack of social support and that in some cases the family’s network has been of great importance.