The present study uses a qualitative approach to understand the impact of COVID-19 on family life. Australian parents of children aged 0–18 years were recruited via social media between April 8 and April 28, 2020, when Australians were experiencing social distancing/isolation measures for the first time. As part of a larger survey, participants were asked to respond via an open-ended question about how COVID-19 had impacted their family. A total of 2,130 parents were included and represented a diverse range of family backgrounds. Inductive template thematic analysis was used to understand patterns of meaning across the texts. Six themes were derived from the data, including “Boredom, depression and suicide: A spectrum of emotion,” “Families are missing the things that keep them healthy,” “Changing family relationships: The push pull of intimacy,” “The unprecedented demands of parenthood,” “The unequal burden of COVID-19,” and “Holding on to positivity.” Overall, the findings demonstrated a breadth of responses. Messages around loss and challenge were predominant, with many families reporting mental health difficulties and strained family relationships. However, not all families were negatively impacted by the restrictions, with some families reporting positive benefits and meaning, including opportunities for strengthening relationships, finding new hobbies, and developing positive characteristics such as appreciation, gratitude, and tolerance.

Purpose: Qualitative research aimed at understanding the stress of parents of children with ADHD is limited and few interventions have been designed to directly target their stress. The study aim was to explore the stress of parents of children with ADHD using qualitative methodology. Methods: Thirteen parents of children with ADHD participated in two focus groups. Open-ended questions explored parents’ experiences of stress. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded using thematic analysis. Parents also completed the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form. Results: Four primary themes were identified: The child’s behaviour feels like a “wrecking ball”; Coping with the “war at home”; A divided family: “relationships don’t survive”; and Craving support: “it’s goddamn hard work”. Five of eleven participants who completed the PSI-SF scored in the clinically significant range indicating levels of stress that require professional support. Conclusions: Parents attribute their high stress to their children’s behaviour, unmet needs for support, and social stigma. Parents request support to enable them to cope and appear to represent a clinical population who require mental health care and support themselves. Future interventions directly targeting the stress of parents of children with ADHD may provide wide-ranging benefits for their children and families.

To examine the experiences of severely physically disabled young people who use electric powered indoor - outdoor chairs (EPIOCs). A priori interview questions examined young people's functioning with EPIOCs, pain and discomfort with EPIOC use and accidents or injuries resulting from EPIOC use. Eighteen young people (13 males and five females) aged 10 - 18 (mean 15) years were interviewed by telephone using a qualitative framework approach. Participants were interviewed 10 - 19 (mean 14.5) months after delivery of the chair. Diagnoses included muscular dystrophy (n = 10), cerebral palsy (n = 5), and 'other' (n = 3). Many children reported positive functioning following EPIOC use, including increased independence and social activities like wheelchair football. However, EPIOC use was also associated with pain and discomfort, as well as perceived lack of safety, and minor accidents. Most young people and their families were fairly satisfied with the service and provision of their wheelchairs. The findings suggest that the development of disabled young people may benefit from the use of electric powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs, although the advantages may come at certain costs to young people's perceived and real safety. Recommendations to powered wheelchair providers include the demonstrated need for additional driving training as these young people mature.