Parenting children with autism spectrum disorders: A crucible for couple relationships

Child and Family Social Work

Volumn 17, Issue 4, 2012, Pages 406-415

  Hock, Robert M ^a   Timm, Tina M ^b   Ramisch, Julie L ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA   (United States)

^b MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Autism; Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); Couples; Marriage; Parenting; Relationship

Indexed keywords

EID: 84867712169     PISSN: 13567500     EISSN: 13652206     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2206.2011.00794.x     Document Type: Article

References (37)

1. Altiere, M.J. & Von Kluge, S. (2009) Searching for acceptance: challenges encountered while raising a child with autism. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 34, 142-152.
2. Bayat, M. (2007) Evidence of resilience in families of children with autism. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 31, 702-714.
3. Belsky, J. & Kelly, J. (1994) The Transition to Parenthood: How a First Child Changes a Marriage and Why Some Couples Grow Closer and Others Apart. Dell, New York.
4. Benson, P.R. (2006) The impact of child symptom severity on depressed mood among parents of children with ASD: the mediating role of stress proliferation. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36 (5), 685-695. doi: 10.1007/s10803-006-0112-3.
5. Bernheimer, L.P. & Weisner, T.S. (2007) 'Let me just tell you what I do all day...': the family story at the center of intervention research and practice. Infants and Young Children, 20 (3), 192-201. doi: 10.1097_01.IYC.0000277751.62819.9b.
6. Brobst, J.B., Clopton, J.R. & Hendrick, S.S. (2009) Parenting children with autism spectrum disorders: the couple's relationship. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 24, 38-49. doi: 10.1177_1088357608323699.
7. Cloutier, P.F., Manion, I.G., Walker, J.G. & Johnson, S.M. (2002) Emotionally focused interventions for couples with chronically ill children: a 2-year follow-up. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 28 (4), 391-398. doi: 10.1111_j.1752-0606.2002.tb00364.x.
8. Cowan, C.P. & Cowan, P.A. (1988) Who does what when partners become parents: implications for men, women, and marriage. Marriage and Family Review, 12, 105-131. doi: 10.1300_J002v12n03_07.
9. Cowan, C.P. & Cowan, P.A. (2000) When Partners Become Parents. Basic Books, New York.
10. Creswell, J.W. (2007) Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches. Sage Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA.
11. Floyd, F.J. & Zmich, D.E. (1991) Marriage and the parenting partnership: perceptions and interaction of parents with mentally retarded and typically developing children. Child Development, 62, 1434-1448.
12. Gray, D.E. (2002) Ten years on: a longitudinal study of families of children with autism. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 27, 215-222. doi: 10.1080_1366825021000008639.
13. Gray, D.E. (2003) Gender and coping: the parents of children with high functioning autism. Social Science & Medicine, 56 (3), 631-642. doi: 10.1016/s0277-9536(02)00059-x.
14. Hamlyn-Wright, S., Draghi-Lorenz, R. & Ellis, J. (2007) Locus of control fails to mediate between stress and anxiety and depression in parents of children with a developmental disorder. Autism, 11, 489-501. doi: 10.1177_1362361307083258.
15. Hastings, R.P. (2003) Child behavior problems and partner mental health as correlates of stress in mothers and fathers of children with autism. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 47, 231-237. doi:10.1046_j.1365-2788.2003.00485.x.
16. Hastings, R.P., Kovshoff, H., Brown, T., Ward, N.J., Degli Espinosa, F. & Remington, B. (2005a) Coping strategies in mothers and fathers of preschool and school-age children with autism. Autism, 9 (4), 377-391. doi: 10.1177_1362361305056078 2005 9: 377.
17. Hastings, R.P., Kovshoff, H., Ward, N.J., Espinosa, F.D., Brown, T. & Remington, B. (2005b) Systems analysis of stress and positive perceptions in mothers and fathers of pre-school children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 35 (5), 635-644. doi: 10.1007_s10803-005-0007-8.
18. Higgins, D.J., Bailey, S.R. & Pearce, J.C. (2005) Factors associated with functioning style and coping strategies of families with a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Autism, 9 (2), 125-137. doi: 10.1177_1362361305051403.
19. Johnson, S.M., Hunsley, J., Greenberg, L. & Schindler, D. (1999) Emotionally focused couples therapy: status and challenges. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 6 (1), 67-79. doi: 10.1093_clipsy.6.1.67.
20. Jungbauer, J. & Meye, N. (2008) Burden and need for assistance in parents of autistic children. Praxis Der Kinderpsychologie Und Kinderpsychiatrie, 57 (7), 521-535.
21. Kersh, J., Hedvat, T.T., Hauser-Cram, P. & Warfield, M.E. (2006) The contribution of marital quality to the well-being of parents of children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50 (12), 883-893. doi: 10.1111_j.1365-2788.2006.00906.x.
22. Kogan, M.D., Blumberg, S.J., Schieve, L.A., Boyle, C.A., Perrin, J.M., Ghandour, R.M. etal. (2007) Prevalence of parentreported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder among children in the U.S. 2007. Pediatrics, 124 (4), 19-26.
23. Larossa, R. (2005) Grounded theory methods and qualitative family research. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 837-857. doi: 10.1111_j.1741-3737.2005.00179.x.
24. Lecavalier, L., Leone, S. & Wiltz, J. (2006) The impact of behaviour problems on caregiver stress in young people with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50 (3), 172-183. doi: 10.1111_j.1365-2788.2005.00732.x.
25. Lincoln, Y.S. & Guba, E.G. (1985) Naturalistic Inquiry. Sage Publications, Newbury Park, CA.
26. Montes, G. & Halterman, J.S. (2007) Psychological functioning and coping among mothers of children with autism: a population-based study. Pediatrics, 119 (5), e1040-e1046. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-2819.
27. Myers, B.J., Mackintosh, V.H. & Goin-Kochel, R.P. (2009) 'My greatest joy and my greatest heart ache:' Parents' own words on how having a child in the autism spectrum has affected their lives and their families' lives. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3, 670-684. doi: 10.1016_j.rasd.2009.01.004.
28. Pakenham, K.I., Samios, C. & Sofronoff, K. (2005) Adjustment in mothers of children with Asperger syndrome: an application of the double ABCX model of family adjustment. Autism, 9 (2), 191-212. doi: 10.1177_1362361305049033.
29. Patton, M.Q. (1999) Enhancing the quality and credibility of qualitative analysis. HSR: Health Services Research, 34 (5 Pt 2), 1189-1208.
30. Schall, C. (2000) Family perspectives on raising a child with autism. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 9 (4), 409-423. doi: 10.1023_A:1009456825063.
31. Shapiro, A.F., Gottman, J.M. & Carrere, S. (2000) The baby and the marriage: identifying factors that buffer against decline in marital satisfaction after the first baby arrives. Journal of Family Psychology, 14, 59-70. doi: 35400008733579.0040.
32. Sivberg, B. (2002) Family system and coping behaviors: a comparison between parents of children with autistic spectrum disorders and parents with non-autistic children. Autism, 6 (4), 397-409. doi: 10.1177_1362361302006004006.
33. Stainton, T. & Besser, H. (1998) The positive impact of children with an intellectual disability on the family. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 23 (1), 57-70. doi:10.1080_13668259800033581.
34. Stoneman, Z. & Gavidia-Payne, S. (2006) Marital adjustment in families of young children with disabilities: associations with daily hassles and problem-focused coping. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 111 (1), 1-14.
35. Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990) Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. Sage Publications, London.
36. Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, 2nd edn. Sage Publications, London.
37. Woodgate, R.L., Ateah, C. & Secco, L. (2008) Living in a world of our own: the experience of parents who have a child with autism. Qualitative Health Research, 18 (8), 1075-1083. doi: 10.1177_1049732308320112.