Data Analysis

The answers of the participants were organized in a thematic way. This is to segregate the
results to themes that are important to the description of an experience and are connected to the
specific research questions. The themes made by the researcher are the categories for the data
analysis. The researcher have gathered the common denominators of the results and grouped them
according to the similarities and differences of their answers. Answers that stood out among the
similar ones were also mentioned. Brief interpretations of the researcher is also a part of the
analysis.

Results/Discussion
The results were thematically grouped into five sections which are
the concept, relationship, challenges, coping,and insights. These five sections were based on the
objectives the researcher had laid down in this study which are the following: (1) to know the
concept of the Filipino families about Down Syndrome, (2) to distinguish the challenges Filipino
families have to overcome and deal with, (3) to know about the happy moments they have in
looking after the family member with Down syndrome, (4) to further elaborate how Filipino
families, together with the children with Down Syndrome, are able to cope with their situation—
what coping mechanisms do they use and practice encompassing the psychological, physical,
social, and psycho-spiritual aspects? And lastly, (5) to share the insights of the family members
about their experiences in caring for the child with Down Syndrome to serve as an encouragement
and inspiration to others.

The Participants
The respondents from Family A was a father (Albert) and an older brother (Drine). From
Family B was a father (Bill) and a younger brother (Niko). Both Family C and Family D had a
mother (Cass and Dian) and an older sister (Fiona and Monique) to participate while Family E had
a mother (Ellie) and a younger sister (Murielle). Family A earns an average of 432,000 pesos/year.
Family B earns an average 864,000 pesos/year. Family C earns an average 708,000 pesos/year.
Family D earns an average 540,000 pesos/year. Family E earns an average of 960,000 pesos/year.
Based on “Family Income Distribution in the Philippines from 1985 to 2009,” Family A and
Family D are in the Average Income cluster. Family B, C, and E are in the High Income cluster.
Families A, C, D, and E have the father as the only financial provider. Families A and D
are being assisted by their relatives in the financial area, especially for Family D because they live
in a compound surrounded by the relatives. Bill from Family B works in an industrial setting while
his wife has a small store in their house assisted by the family members and family helper.
The Concept of Down Syndrome
The participants came up with three common denominators regarding their concept of
Down Syndrome which are the (1) medical concept, (2) psycho-spiritual concept, and (3) psycho-
social concept.
The Medical Concept
The siblings and parents have the same understanding about the chromosomal defects of
Down Syndrome and the special assistance that is needed by the children having the said condition,
this has been supported as Cass stated, “…technically, chromosome defect sya causing intellectual
impairment and physical abnormalities. Alam yon ng lahat ng magulang at pamilya ng isang taong
may Down Syndrome.” only that they differ with the subjective terms but they are all funneling
into the one same context.

The Psycho-spiritual Concept

The respondents stated that children with the said case are a blessing. To cite one response
I quote Ellie, “Nag-divide yun cell nya kaya nagkaron ng chromosomal defects, but by that
division, he will always unite the family in cohesiveness. Blessing sila sa family, never a
curse.” The study of King (2006) stated that parents can come to gain a sense of coherence and
control through values and priorities that involve different ways of thinking about their child, their
parenting role, and the role of the family.

The Psycho-social Concept

The respondents believe they are s to be treated normally by the society, only that they
needed some special assistance with some physical and mental limitations. “I don’t see it as an
abnormality but more of a disability and a disability does not necessarily stop you in living a full,
satisfying life with the help of the people who truly care, kagaya namin sakanya,” Monique stated.
This relates to the study of King, Baxter, & Rosenbaum (2009) pointing out the sense of hope,
meaning, and control over their situations of the family member towards the child with Down
Syndrome.

The Relationship
Based from the answers of all the respondents, their relationship with their family members
became stronger and they became more open to one another. This, then, connects to the study of
King, Baxter, & Rosenbaum (2009) wherein they stated that families grow stronger together and
resilient having the involvement of one another.
Close Relationship
The parents are very close and intimate with their children and they looked for all the
possible ways to help them. Albert even decided to resign from his work abroad, “Pinilit ko
talagang makauwi kaagad non sa Pilipinas at mag-stay na for good...I make sure na hindi ko lang
basta nabibigay yun physical needs but also the emotional needs,” which leads us to what King,
Baxter, & Rosenbaum (2009) stated about the effort of the parents in striving to change their
environment to meet their children's needs as much as possible. Most of the siblings grew closer
with their brother/sister and they became more involved and concerned with the needs of their said
siblings.
Distant Relationship
On the other hand, after understanding his brother’s condition, Niko became aloof and
uncomfortable for he was scared he might do something that is not good for his brother, so as he
grew up, he started having a hard time winning a good and close relationship with his brother,
“...mas naging cautious po ako sa kilos ko...dahil nailang po ako sakanya since then, nahirapan
po ako mag-catch up nung lumalaki na kami,” this gives more emphasis to the study of Kuo (2014)
which states that the involvement of the sibling, especially the brothers, to the child with Down
Syndrome is advised to be given a greater attention to help them connect to each other.
Transitional Relationship
 As for Fiona, their mother gave her the pressure of responsibilities in caring for her sister
being the eldest,“...dahil sakanya nasira ang social life ko, napilitan ako mag-mature agad tapos
dahil sakanya palagi ako pinapagalitan ni mommy noon.” But as time went by, she was able to
overcome with a set of proper coping strategies. Murielle also shared that when she was still a
child, she thought that her brother did not like her because he barely talked to her, “...dumating sa
point na ayaw ko na sya kausapin kasi ang hirap niya kausap akala ko ayaw niya sa akin,” but
after being informed that speech is one of the problems children with Down Syndrome have, she
became aware and sensitive that led them to become very close now. The study of Graff,
Mandleco, and Dyches (2012) relates to the circumstances for they stated that the adjustment does
not only encompass the parents, especially if the parents intentionally involve the other family
members with a normal case in caring for the child with Down Syndrome.

The Challenges
As stated from the related literature above, Raspa, Baile, Bann, & Bishop (2013) focused
on the seven dimensions of family life. Fundamentally, according to the answers given by the
participants, the challenges are said to be revolving around the given dimensions because the
dimensions are also related to the issues raised by the respondents.
The respondents have shared that part of their past struggles include acceptance,
frustrations, anxiety, regrets, fear of the future, and relationship with the child with Down
Syndrome and with one another. Below are the common denominators of the present struggles
given by the family members.
Lifestyle Struggles and Adjustments
For Albert and Bill, healthy living is highlighted as a change. They also mentioned
decreased leisure time and lessened alcohol drinking. Both Bill and Dian stated that they became
closer to their extended families due to their child’s condition.
For Cass, she felt like everything changed. “Lahat halos nagbago simula ng maging anak
namin si Risha. Nag-adjust sa maraming bagay,” she stated. Only through counseling that their
lifestyle has improved now. They are now free from strict rules and she also freed herself from her
smothering lifestyle.
On the other hand, Ellie stated that aside from the adjustments to the special needs which
is normal for parents like them, enlargement of her circle of friends, and increased level of faith in
God, nothing really massive changed at all, “Kasi kahit normal si Marcus, stage mother pa din
naman ako for sure. Just look at how I treat Murielle. Almost the same....Ganon pa din naman
kami ng husband ko.”
Most of the siblings shared about their social life and adjustments in their responsibilities
of caregiving as they grow older. But Fiona’s answer stood out as she shared a distinctive
experience, "Naapektuhan nya yun lifestyle ko in a way na nasanay na ako na walang lifestyle...
Nasanay na ako sa buhay bahay. Kaya nahihirapan ako to cope with the reality na ah eto pala
yun ginagawa sa labas,” which confirms Cass’s answer about her strict parenting from the
past. The study of Sander and Morgan (2008) stated that parents get a lot of stress in parenting,
which is undeniably true. Their statement that the struggles mainly fall on stress and adjustment
problems is also proven by the answers of the respondents. The study of Kuo (2014), stating the
importance of the involvement of the siblings and how the siblings also needed an attention for the
involvement, showed that they should have been more involved with one another and with their
sibling with Down Syndrome
 Aside from the lifestyle adjustments, below are the four major struggles shared related to
the study of Turner and Sloper (2010) that talks about the behavior problems of the children.
Financial concerns and social issues were also highlighted, which has similarity with the study
held by Kluth, Biklen, English-Sand, and Smukler (2007). Again, the involvement of the siblings
is stressed out since without a clearer and better involvement and exposure of the siblings, numbers
of struggles arise involving relationship, caregiving responsibilities and such.
Closeness/Attachment
Niko is quite struggling about building a stronger and closer relationship with his brother
with Down Syndrome. Bill also mentioned that one of his concerns as a father is the relationship
of his children, “Nalulungkot din akong makita na hindi gaanong malapit sa isa’t isa si Nell at si
Niko...Hindi ko din naman mapilit si Niko kasi nakikita ko namang sinusubukan niya.”
Fiona and her sister with Down Syndrome grew closer and attached to each other and that
became a struggle for them. Her sister got used to the routine which becomea very difficult for
them when they are apart. Cass is currently having problem because of it, "...Nahihirapan ako
lately sa disiplina sakanya kasi nasanay sya sa routine na andyan si ate niya.”
Financial
It was also obvious from the interview that the siblings were being sensitive to their
financial areas but only Drine was vocal about it, “Kasi nakikita ko din naman na magastos talaga.
Kasi expenses, house bills, tapos yun mga expenses for Mawie.”
Considering how three of the families are in a high income class and two are of an average
income class, this area is still hard to be neglected if you are a parent as Bill stated, “Kasama na
sa struggles na hindi mawawala ang financial provision, syempre,” and Albert stated, “Kasi kahit
naman sabihin nating nakapag-set aside ako ng pera para sakanila, hindi ko maiiwasan bilang
ama ang magalala para don.”
Responsibilities
The siblings and the parents have their different responsibilities to attend to. Monique was
used to the set up where the adults in their family take over the accountability of caring for her
brother but when she became older, the responsibility was also expected to be present on her part.
Parents have the larger role to play when it comes to responsibilities. Bill shared that his
responsibility does not only encompass his child with Down Syndrome but the whole family.
When it comes to the responsibility of disciplining the child, Cass also has a struggle with it. She
also struggles in caregiving since she is left alone with other household responsibilities,“...Wala
ako halos nakukuhang tulong...Nahihirapan ako lately sa disiplina sakanya kasi nasanay sya sa
routine na andyan si ate niya.”
Health Conditions
Ellie has a concern about her son’s nutrition because they just learned that he is now
overweight and also has a fixation to chicken as his food for every meal. They have already planned
strategies and if not effective, they will consult a professional nutritionist and dietician.
Dian breaks down when it comes to her son’s health conditions. Currently, they discovered that
her son’s eye grade has already increased to 900 and that he has problems with his left ear causing
him to lose balance most of the time. Because of it, she started having frustrations again, “Ayaw
kong mauna sa akin ang anak ko. Gusto kong lumaki pa siya nang maayos, matutong maging
magisa sa ibang bagay.”
The Coping
Psychological
 The family members read self-help books that serve as an encouragement and inspiration.
Articles about Down Syndrome and life testimonies of successful families were also included,
only that there weren’t much articles like them. Bill included reading comic books. This is related
to the study of Hall & Graff (2010) about how reading also help in coping experiences. This also
connects to how reading helps improve parental/familial knowledge which is one of the seven
dimensions of life, (Raspa, Baile, Bann, & Bishop, 2013).
All of the family members either have or had counseling sessions with a professional
counselor except for Family A but they take spiritual counseling sessions, instead. It is true when
Padilla, De La Paz, Chiong, Charcos, & Cadag (2009) stated that the type and degree of counseling
the parents must receive depends upon the severity of the Down Syndrome diagnosed but it is also
vital to check the profiles, capabilities, and personal needs of the family members when it comes
to counseling.
Gray (2011) stated that one of the common coping mechanisms are the outlets outside
home. Leisure activities that help them are watching movies, drawing, eating, and shopping.
Listening to secular and relaxing music is also one of the commonly shared coping skills.
Physical
Exercise, sports, and yoga were the topmost shared coping mechanisms. All of the parents
shared how exercise and yoga helps not only them but also their children with Down Syndrome to
stay healthy. Sports like basketball and skateboard were shared by the male respondents. These
adaptations help improve the two of the seven dimensions of life mentioned in the study of of
Raspa, Baile, Bann, & Bishop (2013) which are the quality of life and well-being. These activities
also prove the statement of Gray (2011) about having outlets outside home.

Psycho-Social
All of the respondents shared that they talk to their family members, close friends/best
friends, and family friends to cope in their situation. They make sure they maintain an open
relationship with one another to keep the family strong and resilient. This complements the study
of Altiere and Kluge (2008) stating that cohesion, adaptability, and social support were stated to
be good contributors in the coping of the family. All of the families except for Family D joined
share groups and support groups in their respective churches. Joining support groups and having a
group discussion with friends are one of the good coping strategies (Hall & Graff , 2010).
Psycho-spiritual
In connection to the coping skills in the social aspect, joining share groups and support
groups in church leads to a psycho-spiritual coping mechanism. All of the respondents shared that
they always pray to God and that their families go to church in order to keep their hearts and wills
strong and resilient. Respondents also mentioned listening to worship songs and watching video
preaching and video teaching about spirituality/religiosity relating to the study of Belendez, Topa,
& Bermejo (2009) about religious strategies.
The Insights
The respondents have shared about having their own families as their motivation. Add to
that is the love for one another and other people. They also mentioned God as one of the
motivations they have to keep on moving forward. They also shared their valuable learning
including patience, initiative, humility, forgiveness, unconditional love, faith, surrender, and trust
in God, selflessness, optimism, acceptance, and willingness to do and learn everything for their
situation.
Best Experiences
Some of respondents specified certain experiences but they all included their everyday lives
with the child with Down Syndrome as the best ones.
“Best experience siya kasi don ko nakita yun kung pano na-shake yun family namin and
kaya pala nashi-shake kami non, kasi God was moving us, He was moving us to a better place, all
we needed is the hearts willing to be moved,” Fiona talking about how their first experiences in
their counseling sessions worked for them.
“Yun day na naintindihan ko talaga yun condition niya...Kaya I encourage people to always
ask and get themselves involved sa family nila. Be aware. Be curious. Be open,” Murielle shared.
“Your child’s best experience would be your best experience,” stated by Albert as he shared
how his best experience is when his daughter with Down Syndrome achieve and learn something
new.
“You see, when you find your situation in a positive way, everything becomes the best
experiences,” Ellie shared. She mentioned that part of her best experiences is whenever she sees
Marcus mingle with other people joyfully and peacefully.
The study of King (2006) is in congruence with the results of this study, only that the results
focused more on how the positive views in life emerged in time despite the difficult times and
frustrations. The family experiences impose the importance of hope and of seeing possibilities for
the children with Down Syndrome in the future. As the discussion ends, may it start a good
impression to all the readers and be reminded that when we start judging people because of their
diagnosis and condition, we also start missing out on their potentials, abilities, beauty, and, most
of all, their uniqueness.

Conclusion and Recommendation

The experiences of the family members are composed of motivations, needs, and wants of
the respondents and are predisposed by influences such as culture, family, reference groups, and
social class wherein they manage to cope with their economical, physical, social, and
psychological areas on their daily basis. Thus, it has been resolved that the experiences also involve
the concept of the family member about Down Syndrome wherein the responses had three common
denominators: medical concept, psycho-social concept, and psycho-spiritual concept. Challenges
are also a big part. The researcher came up with five major challenges including the lifestyle
adjustments, struggles with relationships, financial problems, responsibilities, and health
conditions. With these challenges, the researcher found out that some of the coping mechanisms
include counseling, social support, leisure activities, and spiritual activities. Along with the coping
mechanisms are the positive insights of the family members about their situation in life. It has been
concluded that the child with Down Syndrome is considered a blessing to the families and has a
unique way in bridging the family members together instead of creating a gap between and among
them.
It is recommended to have more families to be interviewed to be able to gather more grounded
information. The coping mechanisms the family members used from the past that were not
effective may also come in hand to inform the readers and may serve as a guideline. The researcher
also recommends to have a same number of male and female respondents for fair comparisons.
Psychological tests may also be given so that the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of answers
are assured.