Parental Agency in the Rehabilitation of Children With Intellectual Disabilities
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to deepen understanding of parental agency in the rehabilitation of children with intellectual disabilities and to advance a family-centred approach by providing new perspectives for strengthening parental agency.
Methods
The data consisted of semi-structured remote interviews with 17 parents whose children with intellectual disabilities had received individual therapy. A deductive analysis was conducted by applying the six modalities of agency theory to the interview data.
Results
The results highlight the multidimensional nature of parental agency in rehabilitation. Enabling meaningful parental participation (Can) involves: competence related to rehabilitation (Know-How); the ability to integrate rehabilitation into everyday life (Be Able); understanding and accepting the necessities of rehabilitation (Must); and an individual approach to rehabilitation (Want); as well as the factors that enable and hinder parental agency. Emotions (Feel) play an essential role in building agency.
Conclusion
Understanding parental agency is crucial to supporting parents as active decision-makers and agents in their child’s rehabilitation process. The results of this study provide new insight into family-centred rehabilitation and can support therapists and other professionals in integrating collaborative approaches into their clinical practice.
Authors
Annastiina Vesterinen, Maarit Karhula, Anu Kippola-Pääkkönen, Sari Fröjd, Kati Kataja
Additional Information
- Peer-Reviewed: yes.
- Open Access: yes.
- Cite as: Vesterinen, A., Karhula, M., Kippola-Pääkkönen, A., Fröjd, S., & Kataja, K. (2026). Parental agency in the rehabilitation of children with intellectual disabilities. Disability and rehabilitation, 1–20. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2025.2606643
