Strengthening devotion: A classic grounded theory on acceptance, adaptability, and reclaiming self, for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The experiences of parents within the Autism Spectrum Disorders community provided the framework from which to explore caregiving. Glaser and Strauss' classic grounded theory was chosen as it generates a systematically developed and inductively derived Basic Social Process yielding hypothetical probability statements which interpret, explain, and predict conceptually derived behaviors of parent caregivers' experiences of self-growth through service. Source data integrated 33 items, including first-person published accounts in books, web pages, blogs, and direct interviews of parent caregivers responding to the grand tour question: "Tell me about your experience as a caregiver." Constant comparative analysis revealed the core variable strengthening devotion as the pattern emerging in distinct yet intertwined stages; namely, the Stage of Accepting, the Stage of Adapting, and the Stage of Reclaiming Life. In stage 1, feelings of entrapment dominate loss experiences that wane as emotions signal readiness to redefine reality. In stage 2, success in establishing structure around uncertainty improves self-esteem with assistance of emotion regulation. In stage 3, desire to expand beyond the role of caregiver prompts striving toward detachment and presence. Individual differences in personality shape emotional growth and responsivity to context factors Living with Fear, Altering Perceptions, Growth Triggers, and Learning Through Life Lessons. Through inductive analysis, fidelity and love emerged as two properties of devotion. Dimensions of each property expressed uniquely in each stage (stage 1: reengagement and sacrifice; stage 2: commitment and patience; and stage 3: openness and tolerance), suggesting that attainment of a strengthened devotion involves service-to-another via a Strengthening of Parental Devotion (self-sacrifice) in stage 1; a Strengthening of Relational Devotion (advocacy) in stage 2; and a Strengthening of Personal Devotion (presence and nonattachment) in stage 3. Presence, a state of being in which nonjudgmental, in-the-moment focus allows self-potential to blossom, prepares caregivers for nonattachment (a dis-identification with suffering and the attainment of emotional equanimity). Nonattachment culminates a life long journey of self-discovery through the mediating impact of devotion.