Exploring parental resilience and the Autism Spectrum Disorder using the 2011 National Survey of Children's Health

Abstract

James C. Lawhorn JR.,

Exploring parental resilience and the Autism Spectrum

Disorder using the 2011 National Survey of

Children’s Health

December 2019

This study studied the relationship between parental perceptions of stressors and indicators of resilience in families with children diagnosed on the autism spectrum.

The following parental perceptions were surveyed; (a) parental coping level,

(b) parental stress level, (c) child’s health, (d) child’s social and emotional functioning,

(e) spouse/partner relationship satisfaction, (f) overall parental health as potential indicators of parental or family resilience. Secondary data from the 2011 National Survey of Children’s Health were used to examine the parent respondents (n = 1376) who were raising at least one child (ages 6-17) currently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The findings of this study suggested that parental stress is impacted by parental perceptions of their level of coping as an indicator of resilience. This study’s findings suggested that a parent’s perceptions of their level of coping is positively correlated with parental perception of the ASD child’s health, parental perception of their child’s social and emotional functioning, parental relationship satisfaction and parental health of families raising children with ASD.

In addition, parents accessing the formal external support of counseling for the child with ASD as an indicator of resilience was analyzed for this research. These results

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specified counseling support to be negatively correlated with parental perception of the health of child with ASD as well as the mother’s perception of her overall health. However, the formal support of counseling as an indicator of resilience positively correlated with parental perception of coping, child social, and emotional functioning, father’s overall health, and parental relationship satisfaction. The final indicator of resilience analyzed in this study was the informal support of parents having an individual they could turn to in a time of need. This research indicated a relationship between the presence of an informal support system for the ASD parent and their perception of spousal relationship satisfaction and overall parental health.

The study emphasized the potential benefits of incorporating indicators of resilience to counter the impact of families parenting a child with autism. Implications and recommendations for future research are presented for mental health providers, school, or community professional who are in contact with ASD families.