Constructing Gratitude Among Parents of Children with Special Needs: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study in Javanese and Sundanese Cultural Contexts

Authors

  • Lisnawati Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Indonesia
  • Zidni Immawan Muslimin Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Indonesia
  • Fitriana Widyastuti Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Indonesia
  • Badriyyah Nur Azizah Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Indonesia
  • Imay Siti Maesaroh Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15575/jpib.v9i2.55123

Abstract

This study explores how parents of children with special needs experience and interpret gratitude within Javanese and Sundanese cultural contexts. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), four purposively recruited parents participated in in-depth interviews. Four group experiential themes emerged: acceptance as a dynamic psychological process, spiritual meaning-making, active coping (ikhtiar), and social and relational support. Gratitude was expressed through varied interpretations of religious beliefs, caregiving responsibilities, and supportive relationships. However, acceptance, coping, and social support did not necessarily constitute expressions of gratitude. Javanese and Sundanese cultural concepts served as contextual interpretative resources rather than independently established experiential themes. Given the small, context-specific sample, the findings do not establish representative cultural differences. The study provides preliminary insights into gratitude as a culturally and spiritually situated experience, highlighting the relevance of culturally sensitive psychological support for parents of children with special needs.

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Published

2026-10-31

How to Cite

Lisnawati, Muslimin, Z. I., Widyastuti, F., Azizah, B. N., & Maesaroh, I. S. (2026). Constructing Gratitude Among Parents of Children with Special Needs: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study in Javanese and Sundanese Cultural Contexts. Jurnal Psikologi Islam Dan Budaya, 9(2), 41–56. https://doi.org/10.15575/jpib.v9i2.55123

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 2 (2026): JPIB : Jurnal Psikologi Islam dan Budaya

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Lisnawati, Zidni Immawan Muslimin, Fitriana Widyastuti, Badrdriyah Nur Azizah, Imay Siti Maesaroh

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