Thesis (M. S.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Howard Goldstein, Florida State University, College of Communication, Dept. of Communication Disorders. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 15, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 54 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

In general there is very little research on the coping styles that the fathers of children suffering from Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) use in order to cope with the day-to-day demands and stressors that result from their child‘s unique condition. The research study focuses on the fathers of children on the autistic spectrum and how they cope with the stressors resulting from their children‘s condition on daily basis. The study made use of Bronfenbrenner‘s Ecosystemic Theory of Human Development as the guiding theoretical framework in exploring and describing this specific research domain. This was a qualitative study and it was phenomenological, descriptive and analytical in nature. The reason for this was to hear the voices of the fathers and explore in-depth how they deal with the daily stressors resulting from their children‘s condition. Semi-structured interviews were utilised where the fathers were asked to respond to an open-ended question. The data that was obtained from the fathers was analysed by means of content analysis. The sample size of the study was small (n=5) and other limitations included a small number of previous studies done on the fathers of children on the autistic spectrum. The literature that is available that focused on the fathers of ASD children are often old and might possibly be out dated. However, this study aimed to hear the voices of the fathers of children on the autistic spectrum and explore how they cope with the daily stressors. Therefore, this study will contribute to the literature on the fathers of ASD children.

According to Pienaar and Raymond (2013, p.10) learners with disabilities have historically experienced the most serious exclusion from learning. The worldwide call for inclusive education prompted South Africa to develop the White Paper 6 (WP6) (2001, p.18) which clearly states that for Inclusive Education to be successfully implemented in South Africa, there has to be an acknowledgement that all children and youth can learn. The implementation of WP6 therefore not only benefits learners with special educational needs, but all South African learners by implementing "a more flexible system of education that focuses on removing barriers to learning and creating learning-friendly environments" (Pienaar and Raymond, 2013, pp. 10-11). However, a great disparity exists in what is proposed in official documents such as WP6 and what parents of children with barriers to learning actually experience within schools. This phenomenological study employed memory work, drawings and focus group discussions with four purposively selected parents to explore parents’ experiences of the education of their children who are on the Autistic Spectrum. Bronfenbrenner’s Eco-systemic perspective was used to make meaning of the data. The findings show that parents find the education of their autistic children as a stressful and isolating experience because of an unprepared education system. Despite the challenges, the participants also find their experiences to be a journey of personal growth and fulfilment. The study therefore recommends that schools should engage parents of autistic children more actively in order to make inclusion of such children effective. Teachers who are expected to practice inclusivity in schools should be adequately prepared to work with children presenting with ASD through a collaborative effort of the Department of Health and the Department of Education.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 74-78).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Indiana University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2003. / Adviser: Calvin Gidney. Submitted to the Dept. of Child Development. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-64). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, May, 2008. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, May, 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.