Storytelling and Support: Analyzing Podcasts as a Tool for Emotional Resilience in Parents of Children with Special Needs

Podcasts, as on-demand digital audio programs, offer a convenient and flexible medium for accessing information, entertainment, and storytelling across diverse topics. For parents of persons with disabilities (PWD), especially mothers, who often face immense physical, emotional, and mental challenges, podcasts hold untapped potential as a secondary medium for support. These parents frequently lack the time or opportunity to engage with traditional media, making podcasts an accessible alternative for learning, connection, and empowerment.
This study explores the use of podcasts as a tool for education, motivation, experience sharing, and emotional resilience among mothers of children with special needs. The research is guided by three key objectives: (1) to identify the potential of podcasts as a companion for parents of children with disabilities, (2) to assess the impact of podcasts in empowering mothers by enhancing their confidence and advocacy skills, and (3) to evaluate the role of podcasts in facilitating community-building and emotional support networks.
A qualitative methodology was adopted using focus group analysis. Two distinct groups, each consisting of 8 mothers of PWD children, were formed based on age demographics: one group below 50 years of age and the other above 50 years. Insights derived from these discussions highlight the significant role podcasts can play in supporting and strengthening these often-overlooked caregivers.

Podcast, PWD, Resilience, Empowerment, Community-building

1. Ammari, T., Schoenebeck, S., & Romero, D. (2014). Pseudonymous parents: Comparing parenting roles and identities on the Mommit and Daddit subreddits. Proceedings of the 32nd annual ACM conference on Human factors in computing systems, 1271-1280. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Berry, R. (2016). Podcasting: Considering the evolution of the medium and its association with the word 'radio'. The Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, 14(1), 7-22. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Boyd, D. (2010). Networked publics and networked selves: Rethinking the social graph. New Media & Society, 13(7), 1142-1156. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310-357. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Dabrowska, A., & Pisula, E. (2010). Parenting stress and coping styles in mothers and fathers of pre-school children with autism and Down syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 54(3), 266-280. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Daft, R. L., & Lengel, R. H. (1986). Organizational information requirements, media richness and structural design. Management Science, 32(5), 554-571. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. McClung, S., & Johnson, K. (2010). Examining the motives of podcast users. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 17(1), 82-95. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Nicholl, H., & Tracey, L. (2007). Questioning the value of support groups for parents of children with disabilities. Paediatric Nursing, 19(9), 31-33. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Olshansky, S. (1962). Chronic sorrow: A response to having a mentally defective child. Social Casework, 43(4), 190-193. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Roos, S. (2002). Chronic sorrow: A living loss. Brunner-Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Singh, I., Lancioni, G., Winton, A., Singh, A., Curtis, W., Wahler, R., & Singh, J. (2014). Mindful parenting decreases aggression and increases social behavior in children with developmental disabilities. Behavior Modification, 38(8), 1045-1068. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• A Psychoanalytical Study of the Gift of Magi
• Analyzing Community Initiatives and Government Interventions in Salt Farming Resource Management in Pangkajene and Kepulauan Districts
• Diaconal Ministries and the Ordination of Women
• Socio Economic Changes in Sagar Island before and After Cyclone Aila
• Grief and Its Transformations in Joan Didion’s the Year of Magical Thinking