A Photovoice Study on the Resilience of Adolescent Children without Disabilities Growing up with Parents with Physical Disabilities In South Korea

Background and Purpose: Adolescent children who grew up with parents with physical disabilities may face the dual challenge of having limited parental support and assuming caregiving responsibilities for parents with disabilities throughout childhood and adolescence. Beyond deficit-oriented perspectives, resilience theory posits that adolescent children whose parents have physical disabilities may demonstrate resilience and personal growth via dynamic processes of adaptation in the context of adversity. To support this population, it is critical to understand how adolescents without disabilities whose parents have disabilities navigate their lives and find strength in their unique family amid societal contexts with strong stigma toward people with disabilities. Using the photovoice methodology, which promotes participants’ empowerment and agency, this study explored the lived experiences of adolescents without disabilities raised by parents with physical disabilities in South Korea from the perspective of resilience theory.

Methods: Using purposive sampling, five adolescents aged 13 to 18 (three girls and two boys) whose parents had physical disabilities were recruited in South Korea. One participant had two parents with disabilities, whereas four had one parent with a disability. For four participants, the onset of parental disability occurred before their birth, whereas for one participant, it occurred after their birth. Six sessions of photovoice—consisting of an orientation for theme selection, photo-taking on selected themes, four 2-hour group discussions where participants shared photographs and stories, and social action—were conducted in 2025. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes emerging from participants’ experiences.

Findings: The findings yielded 15 subthemes categorized into four overarching domains: (a) my parents with disabilities as a strong foundation in my life, (b) inner strength protecting myself, (c) environments around me where constraints and resources coexist, and (d) my expectations and hope for the future. Participants accepted their parents’ disabilities and built strong bonds with them. Their parents showed tremendous commitment to their children despite the challenges resulting from their disabilities. Participants identified strategies to secure their dignity and promote self-esteem amid adversities. While coping with microaggressions toward children whose parents have disabilities in an ableist society, participants also found supportive environments with assistive devices and support from social service providers for families with disabilities and their significant others. Thus, participants harbored hope for a society with more positive and empowering social perceptions toward people with disabilities and their families.

Conclusion and Implications: This study demonstrates that adolescents raised by parents with disabilities can foster resilience through building strong parental bonds, navigating adversities with supportive environments, and possessing aspirations for the future. By highlighting the voices of these adolescents, this study can inform the development of interventions grounded in a strengths-based perspective that promote and strengthen the resilience of adolescent children in families affected by disability. The findings also highlight the importance of social work professionals who foster supportive environments for families with disabilities while addressing barriers, including stigmatized social perspectives toward children in these families.