Experiences of Stigma Among Parents With Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis.

BACKGROUND

Parents with intellectual disabilities experience stigma across parenting, professional and child protection contexts, yet existing systematic reviews have focused primarily on support needs and interventions.

METHOD: A systematic review and thematic synthesis was conducted to explore qualitative research on the lived experiences of stigma among parents with intellectual disabilities. Searches were conducted across CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus. Twenty-three studies met inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Five analytical themes were identified: (1) Constructing parents as incompetent; (2) Regulating parenthood through surveillance and control; (3) Structural harm: Violence, coercion and family separation; (4) Living with stigma: identity, emotional impact and parenting experience; and (5) Negotiating and resisting stigma through support and agency.

CONCLUSION

Stigma shaped parents' identities, relationships with professionals and family outcomes, while parents actively resisted deficit-based assumptions. Findings highlight the need for accessible strengths-based supports.