Background 

Parenting tends to amplify both positive and negative emotions. It is even more challenging when you have a child with a life-altering diagnosis (LAD). 

Aims

I wanted to investigate which character strengths (CS) can be useful for parents who have a child with a LAD to thrive. There is a gap in literature regarding these parents. If parents are flourishing, they may be able to better support their children and equip them with the skills needed to manage their diagnosis and have fulfilling lives.

Method

Visitors to the VIA CS website reported on their CS during the data collection period. At the end of the main CS survey, they had the option to participate in the parenting study, which included measures of subjective well-being, meaning, life satisfaction, identifying the most helpful CS in the parenting context, and whether they had a child with a life-altering diagnosis

Results

The final data for analyses comprised 4,023 of parents with healthy children, and 792 were parents with children with a LAD.

We found that there was a significant difference in SWB where parents of children with a life-altering diagnosis scored lower than parents of healthy children. Surprisingly, the only significant difference in CS was that the parents of children with LADs had a greater love of learning than parents of healthy children (p=.031). 

Conclusion

The results could be the foundation for a positive intervention of a peer-support group for parents with children with LADs. It could give parents who are on similar LAD journeys the opportunity to use love of learning to learn from other parents on similar journeys on how to flourish and live their, and their children's, best lives on a LAD journey

I propose the model of S.H.A.R.E. to increase well-being in parents of children with a life-altering diagnosis. 

 S = sharing stories (bringing)

 H = hope

 A = agency 

 R = relationships, &

 E = exploring meaning