Coming to Understand the Child Has Autism: A Process Illustrating Parents' Evolving Readiness for Engaging in Care

Autor/inn/en	Gentles, Stephen J.; Nicholas, David B.; Jack, Susan M.; McKibbon, K. Ann; Szatmari, Peter
Titel	Coming to Understand the Child Has Autism: A Process Illustrating Parents' Evolving Readiness for Engaging in Care
Quelle	In: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 24 (2020) 2, S.470-483 (14 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Gentles, Stephen J.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1362-3613
DOI	10.1177/1362361319874647
Schlagwörter	Autism; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Parents; Motivation; Child Rearing; Mothers; Readiness; Ability; Parent Participation; Knowledge Level; Parent Attitudes; Help Seeking; Foreign Countries; Rural Areas; Urban Areas; Coping; Emotional Response; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Disability Identification; Canada + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Autismus; Eltern; psychologische; Motivation (psychologisch); Kindererziehung; Mother; Mutter; Fähigkeit; Fertigkeit; Elternmitwirkung; Wissensbasis; Elternverhalten; Help-seeking behavior; Help-seeking behaviour; Hilfe suchendes Verhalten; Ausland; Rural area; Ländlicher Raum; Urban area; Stadtregion; Bewältigung; Emotionales Verhalten; Psychiatrische Symptomatik; Kanada
Abstract	We report results from a large qualitative study regarding the process of parents "coming to understand the child has autism" starting from the time of initial developmental concerns. Specifically, we present findings relevant to understanding how parents become motivated and prepared for engaging in care at this early stage. The study included primary data from 45 intensive interviews with 32 mothers and 9 expert professionals from urban and rural regions of Ontario, Canada. Grounded theory methods were used to guide data collection and analysis. Parents' readiness (motivation and capacity) for engagement develops progressively at different rates as they follow individual paths of meaning making. Four optional steps account for their varied trajectories: "forming an image of difference," "starting to question the signs," "knowing something is wrong," and "being convinced it's autism." Both the nature of the information and professional help parents seek, and the urgency with which they seek them, evolve in predictable ways depending on how far they have progressed in understanding their child has autism. Results indicate the need for sensitivity to parents' varying awareness and readiness for involvement when engaging with them in early care, tailoring parent support interventions, and otherwise planning family-centered care pathways. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01