Chronic sorrow in families of disabled children.

Among professionals who work with disabled children and their families, the need has arisen for better articulation of the concept of chronic sorrow, a bereavement process parents experience in response to life with a disabled child. This article presents information and concepts about the nature of chronic sorrow that permit clarification and understanding of the meaning of what is otherwise often confusing parent behavior. Implications for the professional in assisting the parent's movement through the bereavement process will be discussed.