Phenomenology of the Lived Experiences of Families with Members with Acquired Disabilities

Acquired disability is a disability that is developed during life as a result of an accident or illness. The objective of this research study was to analyze the lived experiences of families with a member with an acquired disability. To achieve the goals of the present research, a qualitative method based on the phenomenological approach was used. The samples were selected using the purposive sampling method in Shahrekord in 2022. Moreover, the data were collected through the semi-structured interview technique. The participants in this research study included the mother, father, sister, brother, and spouse of a person with an acquired disability. The data was saturated through interviews with 15 family members. Data analysis was done based on the seven-step method of Claysey. The findings showed that the experience of the families participating in the study could be classified into eight main themes, including change in normal life, stigma, negative feelings and reactions, family problems, disturbed life, life-giving actions, lack of specialized, financial, social, and legal support, and rehabilitation counseling.  Finally, the results indicated that the families of people with acquired disabilities suffered from a severe lack of support in society and negative feelings and disability. These psychological, social, and caring pressures increased when the caregiver lived in smaller, traditional, and less developed areas. Thus, the lack of facilities was more visible. It seems that participating in psycho-educational classes and raising awareness of the individual growth of families would help to face stress and psycho-social pressures. In addition, it would not be possible to reduce care pressures without taking into account the cultural context and the use of service and support resources such as subordinate organizations in the direction of rehabilitation of disabled people.