The Types and Functions of Social Supports Used by Parents Caring for a Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The Types and Functions of Social Supports Used by Parents Caring for a Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2020 Jan 09;: Authors: Shepherd D, Goedeke S, Landon J, Meads J Abstract The challenges faced by parents caring for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can amplify parenting stress, though the impacts of these challenges can be alleviated by social supports. A sample of 674 parent volunteers completed a survey probing the types of social supports currently being used, what function (i.e., tangible, emotional, financial, informational) they judged them to perform, and how each of the utilised supports reduced parenting stress and was considered helpful. Results indicated that informal social supports and social media were perceived as more helpful than formal supports, which were typically perceived in a neutral manner by parents. Overall, the study indicates that addressing the support needs of parents of a child with ASD remains a priority. PMID: 31919701 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: J Autism Dev Disord Source Type: research