Open AccessFrom Close Connections to Feeling Misunderstood: How Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Perceive Support from Family Members and Friends
Author(s) -
Geneviève Laroche,
Catherine des Rivières-Pigeon
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
canadian journal of family and youth
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1718-9748
DOI - 10.29173/cjfy29758
Subject(s) - feeling , psychology , developmental psychology , autism , autism spectrum disorder , social support , recall , qualitative research , population , social psychology , medicine , cognitive psychology , social science , environmental health , sociology
This qualitative study examines the social support of parents of children with ASD living in Québec, Canada. Eighteen parents described their social support experiences before and after their child’s first signs of ASD. The results of this study indicate that parents recall many unhelpful support experiences after their child’s first signs of ASD. The results also suggest that the parents’ support needs greatly outweigh the support they perceive from family and friends. To our knowledge, this study is the first to recognise that receiving adequate social support requires significant involvement from parents who find themselves having to compensate for the lack of knowledge about autism in the general population. The results of this study put forth the active role that parents play in the reshaping of their support relationships and highlight the changes that occur in these relationships over time. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.