Le vécu des mères d’enfants ayant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme : comprendre l’adaptation parentale pour mieux soutenir en période de stress

Abstract

When a parent cares for a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), they face the daily stressors of caring for a child, in addition to those related to autism. Overall, these parents experience a higher level of parental stress than parents of children not on the spectrum or Revue de psychoéducation Volume 51, numéro 1, 2022, 151-173 with developmental peculiarities. In a previous study, the aggregation of physiological and psychological data obtained from 71 mothers led to the identification of three profiles of parental stress, showing distinct adaptation. This study presents the results of the qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with mothers in each of the profiles identified (n:12). The results show that the three parental stress profiles differ in terms of children's characteristics, mothers' perception of the social support offered by professionals and those around them, their use of coping strategies, in addition to the magnitude and diversity of the negative consequences these mothers face on a daily basis. Qualified as detached, exhausted or experiencing acute stress, the differences between the three stress profiles are raised and discussed, illustrating a complex reality. The description of this heterogeneity in the experience of parental stress makes an innovative contribution to current research by providing intervention levers adapted to the respective experience.