Autism occupies an extreme position among childhood pathologies due to its severity, duration and impact on the family. In this qualitative study, four primary caregivers of autistic children were interviewed regarding their experiences of the diagnostic process, their post-diagnostic adjustment, and how helping professionals can improve their service rendering to these families. This study utilised a phenomenological approach to look at primary caregivers as the best-informed authority to explore and describe their lived realities and experiences of raising their autistic children in South Africa. The rationale for a phenomenological approach in this study is that such an interpretative inquiry enables material to be collected and analysed within the specific context of the subjective realities of primary caregivers of autistic children in South Africa. The researcher utilised semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews as method of data collection. Each participant was interviewed over the course of three separate interviews. The themes and categories that resulted from a content analysis of the material were grouped into two broad fields of experience, namely: (1) experiences surrounding the diagnostic process; and (2) the pervasive influence of autism on different areas of family life. In terms of experiences surrounding children’s diagnosis, four themes were identified: (1) Being a new parent and making sense out of chaos; (2) Responsibility and blame; (3) Confusion and disillusionment during early experiences with helping professionals; and (4) Feelings about the diagnosis. The pervasive influence of autism on different areas of family life includes: (5) Strained family relationships; (6) Challenges of behaviour management and disciplining the autistic child; (7) Challenges of finding suitable resources for education and day-care; and (8) Maintaining the family unit and doing things as a family.

In recent years the number of studies on resilience emerging within the field of positive psychology has increased. However, such studies are limited within the South African context and so the proposed study aims to explore and describe the factors that facilitate adjustment and adaptation in South African families living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. McCubbin, McCubbin and Thompson (2001) developed the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation which were used to conceptualise the family’s adaptation. Mothers (n = 19) from 19 families participated in the study. The families consisted of at least three members, of which two are parents and one a child younger than 18 years of age that has been diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. A combination of non-probability purposive sampling and snowball sampling was used to select participants. The study had an exploratory and descriptive aim and employed triangulation of method, including both qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures. A biographical questionnaire and the following seven structured paper-and-pencil questionnaires were used: the Family Attachment and Changeability Index 8 (FACI8), the Family Crisis-oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES), the Family Hardiness Index (FHI), the Family Problem-solving Communication (FPSC), the Family Time and Routine Index (FTRI), the Relative and Friend Support (RFS), and the Social Support Index (SSI). Descriptive statistics were used to describe the biographical information. Qualitative data were analysed by means of content analysis. Quantitative data were manipulated by means of correlation and regression analysis. The results from the quantitative analysis indicate three significant positive correlations with the FACI8. These variables were the family hardiness (measured by FHI), family problem-solving communication (measured by the FPSC), and family time and routines (measured by the FTRI). The findings from the qualitative analysis point out that social support, the spousal relationship and family time, togetherness and routines are the most important strength factors that contribute to the family’s adjustment and adaptation. Even though this study had a small sample size and several other limitations, the findings of this study could still assist in guiding specialised institutions toward providing more comprehensive information and support to families living with a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This study also contributes to the studies on family resilience within a South African context.

Research with parents on managing child problem behavior typically measures either child or parent behavior. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of training parents to implement a function-based behavior intervention plan (BIP) in a non-trained natural environment utilizing a Multiple Probe Design across Participants. Participants included four parent-child dyads. Measurement variables included parents' use of effective and ineffective strategies and child problem behavior. Intervention involved training parents to understand and implement the BIP using effective strategies, modeling the effective procedures, and providing feedback following parent implementation of procedures. Results showed that the intervention was very effective in promoting skill generalization of parents and decreasing child problem behavior. The findings have implications for research and clinical practice.

The prevalence of children with autism is increasing each year and so should services that can be rendered. One type of therapy that is utilized by a large portion of children with autism is Sensory Integration Therapy. Sensory integration is an essential part of normal functioning. Our nervous system takes in, filters, organizes, and makes use of motor and sensory information. This is the neurological process of sensory integration (Sensory Integration International, 1986). Sensory Integration Therapy takes that premise and provides sensory stimulating activities that will enhance the child's performance in certain areas of life. Its use on children with autism has grown tremendously in the last several years. The support for Sensory Integration Therapy has primarily been in the form of testimonials. Though empirical evidence supporting the use of Sensory Integration is lacking, it continues to be used by many parents. In an effort to better understand parents, this study investigated their perceptions of Sensory Integration Therapy and its negative and positive impact on their child with autism.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2003. / Title from title page screen, viewed November 1, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Stacey Jones Bock, James R. Thompson (co-chairs), Maureen E. Angell, E. Paula Crowley, Barbara S. Heyl. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-183) and abstract. Also available in print.

This research project offered an overview of Autistic spectrum disorder and discussed the need for research regarding the family's role in treatment. The treatment framework examined in this research project was Applied Behavioral Analysis. The study took place at the University Center for Developmental disabilities (UCDD), located at California State University San Bernardino.

Thesis (MOccTher)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Prior to the commencement of this study, an abundance of information on the topic of autism spectrum disorders and its symptoms, its prevalence and the effect on the family’s psychosocial- and emotional wellbeing were available. However, studies to describe the impact of a child with autism spectrum disorder on the occupations of families were limited, especially within the South-African context, and the researcher could find no information describing the impact of such a child specifically relating to the daily occupations of their mothers. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to explore how mothers with children on the spectrum of autism experience the impact of the child on their own daily occupations, and the meaning they derive from these experiences. Purposive sampling was used in selecting eleven mothers whose children attended therapeutic and medical follow up at one of the tertiary public hospitals in the Western Cape. In-depth semi-structured interviews following an interview guideline were conducted with each of the participants. The interviews were audio taped, and thereafter transcribed verbatim. A process of open coding was used to analyze the transcribed interviews. The findings emerging from the data-analysis process, uncovered three themes, namely ‘mothering as an identity’, mothering as an occupation’, and ‘making sense and moving forward’. These themes emphasized the immense changes the mothers had to face with regards to their occupational engagement, as well as on a personal level due their children’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. It also brought to light the factors influencing the experiences and actions of mothers, shaping their mothering identities, as well as their needs and barriers in terms of successful participation in their everyday occupations. The study reported on the occupational risk factors these mothers face, as well as the enabling elements with regards to successful and meaningful occupational engagement. Occupational therapists working with children should be especially conscious of the inseparable relationship between the occupations of the child they are treating, and the occupations of the primary caregiver when implementing therapy programs. Only through ensuring the successful and meaningful participation in occupations of both the mother and the child, the occupational therapist will be able to improve the health and well-being in the one or the other. Careful selection and collaborative goal setting when planning therapy programs are therefore essential. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie studies het in die verlede rapporteer oor die diagnose, simptome en prevalensie van outisme spektrum steurnisse. Studies wat die impak van hierdie toestand op die emosionele en psigo-sosiale welstand van families ondersoek het, was ook volop. Beperkte inligting, veral binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, was egter beskikbaar om die impak van ‘n kind op die spektrum van outisme op families se deelname in alledaagse aktiwiteite te ondersoek. Met die aanvang van hierdie studie, kon die navorser geen inligting vind wat spesifiek na die impak van ‘n kind met outisme op hulle moeder se deelname in alledaagse aktiwiteite ondersoek ingestel het nie. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie het gebruik gemaak van ‘n phenomelogiese benadering om die ervarings van moeders, met ‘n kind op die spektrum van outisme, te ondersoek rakende die impak van hierdie kind op die deelname van hulle eie alledaagse aktiwiteite, asook die betekenis wat die moeders aan hierdie ervarings kon heg. Doelgerigte steekproeftrekking is gebruik in die seleksie van elf moeders wie se kinders terapeuties en medies opgevolg word by ‘n tersiêre publieke hospital in die Wes-Kaap. In-diepte, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer met elk van die deelnemers aan die hand van ‘n onderhoud riglyn. Die onderhoude is op band opgeneem, waarna dit verbatim getranskribeer is. ‘n Proses van oop kodering is gebruik om die getranskribeerde onderhoude te analiseer. Die resultate wat verkry is gedurende die data-analise proses, het die volgende temas uitgelig, naamlik ‘moederskap as indentiteit’, ‘moederskap as beroep’, en ‘om sin maak en aan te beweeg’. Hierdie temas het die geweldige veranderinge vir die moeders in terme van deelname aan hulle alledaagse aktiwiteite, sowel as op persoonlike vlak, beklemtoon. Die faktore wat die deelnemers se ervarings en aksies, en dus hulle identiteit as moeders beïnvloed het, was ook geïdentifiseer. Die resultate het ook die struikelblokke en behoeftes van hierdie moeders in terme van suksesvolle deelname aan hulle alledaagse aktiwiteite, aangedui. Die studie het die risiko faktore, sowel as die elemente wat benodig word vir suksesvolle deelname aan alledaagse aktiwiteite, uitgelig. Arbeidsterapeute werksaam in die veld van pediatrie, behoort bewus te wees van die onafskeidbare verhouding tussen die deelname aan alledaagse aktiwiteite van die kind wat hulle behandel, en dié van die primêre versorger. Slegs wanneer suksesvolle deelname aan aktiwiteite deur beide die kind én die moeder verseker word, kan die welstand en gesondheid in die een of die ander bevorder word. Die seleksie van terapie doelwitte in samewerking met die familie en primêre versorger, is dus kardinaal.

Previous research has been interested in studying parental emotion socialization practices in parents of typically developing (TD) children. The current study aimed to explore such practices among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Seventy-eight families participated in this study. Self-reported rating scales were adopted to measure the child's social competence, parenting stress and maternal emotional styles. As hypothesized, results showed significantly different patterns in maternal emotional styles between mothers of children with ASD and those with TD children. However, inconsistent to our hypothesis, the maternal emotional styles were found to be neither related to child's social competence nor parenting stress within the ASD group. Implications of findings on future research and practice are discussed. / published_or_final_version / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Research has shown that parents of children with disabilities, such as autism, experience significantly higher stress levels than parents of typically developing children. It has been suggested that parent education programs, in particular naturalistic communication training, will reduce parental stress. Most of the literature in this area has relied on parental reports and has only focused on decreasing stress and has not directly addressed increasing alternate feelings, such as happiness. In different but related areas of behavior analysis, an emphasis has been placed on the importance of happiness as a quality of life indicator and that the development of multileveled assessment is sorely needed. This study was designed to analyze one set of measures within a data-based intervention program for parents of toddlers with autism. The Family Connections Project (FCP) is a parent training project designed to enhance the quality of relationships for families who have toddlers with autism. Within this project parents are taught to identify and arrange opportunities to interact with their children in ways that will increase motivation and social responsivity. This study looked at the collateral effects of this training program and investigated if FCP affected the relationship between parents and their toddlers; of particular interest was parental happiness. Video taped assessments were used as a direct measure to collect indices of parental affect/happiness (e.g., smiles). Independent judges' ratings were used in comparison with a controlled parent-child dyad. Furthermore, pre and post parental goals, descriptions, and satisfaction surveys were analyzed in the context of the parental happiness indices. Results were evaluated in a multiple baseline design across child skills and are discussed in the context of parent and child's targeted behavior changes and collateral outcome measures.

Research has shown that parents of children with autism report higher stress than parents of children with other developmental disabilities. It has been suggested that parent training programs, specifically naturalistic social-communication training, can reduce parental stress and enhance the quality of the parent-child relationship. Although the development of a multilevel assessment has been suggested, much of the research in this area has relied on measures of parent implementation fidelity and specific child target skills such as vocal communication, eye contact, and joint attention. Few have directly measured the parent-child interaction. The purpose of the current study is to examine the effects of an in-home parent training package for toddlers with autism on parent-child social interactions. Within this package, parents are taught to attend to contextual variables, to arrange the environment to set the occasion for child responding, to respond immediately to targeted child approximations, and to respond in ways that are mutually reinforcing, social, and fun. Data were collected during 5-min video-taped assessments, on the number of parent teaching episodes, child target skills (turn taking and social attending), engagement, and synchronous engagement. Results were evaluated in a multiple baseline design across two parent-child dyads and indicated increases in all measures. This study contributes to the current discussion on toddler parent-training programs and extends it in a way that highlights the benefits of using a multi-level assessment to measure the parent-child interaction.