Purpose: The study was done to identify the construct validity and reliability of the life transition scale (LTS) for parents who have children with autism. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmative factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to identify the most adequate measurement model for structural validity. Convergent validity and discriminant validity were also conducted for structural validity. Data were collected from 208 parents through self-reported questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS/WIN 15.0 and AMOS 20.0 version. Results: A four factor-structure was validated ( χ 2 = 541.23, p< .001, GFI= .82, RMSEA= .07, IFI= .89, CFI= .89, PNFI= .73, Q ( χ 2 /df)= 2.20) at the 3rd order of EFA and CFA, and factors were named as denying, wandering, despairing, and accepting. Both convergent and determinant validity for LTS were 100%. Cronbach's alphas for the reliability of each structure were .77-.90 and .83 for total structure. Conclusion: The four structures, 24-item instrument showed satisfactory reliability and validity. LTS has the potential to be appropriate for assessing the transition process of life for parents who have children with autism and provides basic directions for differentiated support and care at each stage.

Purpose:While there are a number of studies on children with disabilities, there have been few studies on mothers of children with autism. The purpose of this study was to explore the process of life transition of mothers who have children with autism. Methods: From June 2007 to May 2009, the researcher interviewed 15 mothers of children with autism living in Seoul City, Gyeonggi or Chonbuk Provinces, and then analyzed the data gathered using the constant comparative method of grounded theory. Results: "Living together holding a string of fate" was a core category showing along the continuum of life. The basic social process of life transition encompassed 5 stages: stages of denying, wandering, devoting, mind controlling, and finally accepting. These five stages proceeded in phases, though returned back to the wandering stage occasionally. Conclusion: This study has opened the door to understanding how mothers of children with autism experienced life transition. The findings suggest that differentiated support and care at each stage should be given and there is the need to develop transition assessment tools for mothers of children with autism.

This study was done to identify differences in the life transition process of parents caring for children with autism according to parents' socio-demographic characteristics. Methods: Participants were 194 parents caring for children with autism. Data were collected from December 2013 to February 2014 through self-report questionnaires, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA with SPSS/WIN 20.0. Results: Mean scores for despairing or accepting phases were higher than those for denying or wandering phases in the life transition process. According to parents' gender, educational level, and job, there were some significant differences in the denying and wandering phases. Differences in denying phase by education (p = .033), job (p = .004) were significant. Respondents with higher educational level, and having a job showed a lower level of denying than other respondents. Wandering phase differed significantly by gender (p = .009) and job (p = .001). Mothers and those who did not have a job showed a higher level of wandering than fathers and those who had a job. However, there was no difference in the despairing or accepting phases. Conclusion: The life transition phase of parents with autistic children needs to be assessed to provide differentiated and intensive support program and help them move to the accepting phase.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to develop a scale to measure the life transition process of parents of children with autism, against the backdrop of a lack of research on this topic. Methods: Seventy preliminary items were drawn from previous qualitative research, and content validity was tested by three professors as well as three parents of children with autism. A questionnaire survey was also done between August 2011 and February 2012. Data were collected from 207 parents of children with autism and analyzed using descriptive statistics, item analysis, Cronbach's alpha, Pearson correlation coefficients, and factor analysis with the SPSS Win 15.0 program. Results: Twenty-nine items were selected to constitute the appropriate measuring scale and categorized into 5 factors explaining 63.2% of the total variance. The 5 factors were named; stages of denial (5 items), wandering (6 items), devotion (7 items), frustration (3 items), and finally acceptance (8 items). Cronbach's alpha for the 29 items was .80. Conclusion: The results of this study not only suggest assessment criteria for the life transition process of parents who have children with autism but also provide basic directions for program development to provide differentiated support and care at each stage.

Purpose: This study was done to develop a model which explains factors influencing caring behavior of mothers who have children with disabilities, and to verify the appropriateness of the model and the relationship among variables. Methods: The participants in the research were the mothers who had a 3 to 12 yr-old children with disabilities. The data were collected from 451 mothers through self-reported questionnaires from July 14 to 31, 2008. A total of the 371 data sets were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 11.5 and AMOS 5.0 version. Results: The children's behavior characteristics, social support, objective burden and parenting self-esteem had an impact on the mothers' caring behavior. Especially, parenting selfesteem including parenting satisfaction and self-efficacy was the most influential factor. These variables explained 77% of the mothers' caring behavior for these children. Conclusion: The results suggest that some strategies for promoting mothers' parenting self-esteem focused on parenting satisfaction and self-efficacy should be developed in order to help mothers in caring for their child who is disabled.