It is estimated that one in approximately 36 children in the United States qualify for an autism diagnosis (CDC, 2023). Parents of newly diagnosed autistic children often report increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression after the diagnostic process (Oien & Eisemann, 2016). These mental health challenges are often a result of insufficient post-diagnostic support. Parents frequently report that they wish they had received more information after the diagnostic process related to autism and local resources and support services (Rabba et al., 2019). The intent of this doctoral project is to create an online and asynchronous educational tool for parents to complete after their child receives an autism diagnosis. The program will be divided into four modules and will include background information about autism, connections to local resources and support services, strategies for adopting positive coping strategies, and tools to help plan for their child’s future. It is anticipated that through the completion of the modules, parents will experience reduced levels of stress and anxiety following their child’s diagnosis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/46613 |
| Date | 24 August 2023 |
| Creators | Simonson, William M. |
| Contributors | Vaughn, Lori, Jacobs, Karen |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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