A Lyrical Exploration of the Experiences and Emotions in the Disability Acceptance Process of Mothers of Young Children With Special Educational Needs

This study deeply explores the experiences of mothers of young children with special educational needs during the disability acceptance process, with a particular focus on the lyrical meaning of their emotions. To achieve this, in-depth interviews were conducted with seven mothers while utilizing grounded theory coding procedures based on a phenomenological approach. The research results showed: First, through open coding, initial concepts representing the ‘first inner stirrings, sprouting seeds of experience’ of mothers’ experiences were derived. Second, through axial coding, these concepts were categorized into a four-stage ‘Seasons of Emotion’ model: ‘Season of Unfamiliar Change and Confusion’ ‘Season of Hope and Growth’ ‘Season of Agony and Reorganization’ and ‘Season of Recovery, Solidarity, and Aspiration’ Third, through selective coding, the ‘Lyrical Journey of Disability Acceptance’ was derived, conceptualizing the process of emotional regulation and recovery amidst suffering as ‘Sumbisori’ This demonstrates the complex lyrical journey mothers undertake whilst accepting disability. This study deepens the overall understanding of mothers’ experiences and expands existing theories, proposing customized support and diversified policies based on the ‘Seasons of Emotion’ and ‘Sumbisori’