Masters Thesis

Meaningful experiences of parents with children with autism

Families can struggle to adjust to the pile-up demands of daily life raising a child with autism. When the demands persistently outweigh the capabilities of the family, such as raising a child with autism, this can result in a crisis for the family (Patterson, 2002). According to the Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response model (FAAR), in order to move through the crisis families must adapt either by increasing their capabilities or reevaluating the meaning in their experiences (Patterson, 2002). This preliminary study looked at the experiences of four parents raising children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Each participant was interviewed over the phone for 45-60 minutes. The researchers looked at 3 aspects of parents’ experience based on the FAAR model: Demands (what the family struggles with), Capabilities (what the family has going for it), and Meaning making. Each category had sub categories as displayed in table 2. Researchers found demands, capabilities, and meaning making. Meaning making presented 3 themes between the families: new meaning, family identity, and critical meaning. This study can be helpful for clinicians by emphasizing the importance on holistic family services. Families in this study described moving from a place of sadness and fear to one of acceptance and adaptation. Not only can clinicians provide families some emotional support and education as they move toward better adjustment, but therapy plays a big role in creating new meaning out of experiences.

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