Supporting Parents, Siblings, and Grandparents of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Fiske, Kate; Pepa, Lauren; Harris, Sandra

doi:10.1002/9781118911389.hautc40

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 98 publications

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“…Parenting children with disabilities is acknowledged as demanding (Beresford, Tozer, Rabiee, & Sloper, ), with the parenting of children with autism recognised as particularly challenging, due to the wide range of difficulties which children can experience (Fiske, Pepa, & Harris, ). Receiving a diagnosis of autism, therefore, can represent an extremely taxing experience for many parents, sometimes resulting in depression (Taylor & Warren, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I received a leaflet and that is all”: Father experiences of a diagnosis of autism

Potter

2016

Brit J Learn Disabil

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Accessible summary Little is known about what fathers think and feel about a diagnosis of autism. Fathers experienced strong emotion around diagnosis and were given little support. Services should support mother and fathers in ways which meet their individual needs. More positive messages should be given to families at diagnosis. Abstract Background: A diagnosis of childhood autism can be an extremely stressful experience for parents, but little is known concerning paternal perceptions of the process. Methods: This study investigated father perspectives on a diagnosis of autism, through an online survey. Results: An analysis of 184 replies to an open‐ended question identified the following themes: strong initial emotional response and a range of immediate anxieties about the future, struggle to gain a diagnosis; anger in response to insensitive delivery of diagnosis together with insufficient information at the time and lack of support afterwards. Conclusion: Fathers experienced a range of significant challenges during a diagnostic process in which most felt unsupported. Service provision should be more gender‐differentiated, taking into account of the particular needs and perspectives of both mothers and fathers at this critical juncture in family life.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I received a leaflet and that is all”: Father experiences of a diagnosis of autism

Potter

2016

Brit J Learn Disabil

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“…Grandparenting children with special needs is a new and stressful life situation for the grandparents, with potential for conflict with their own children ( Klasén McGrath, 2008 ). It evokes feelings ranging from pride and joy to mourning lost opportunities, uncertainty over the child’s future, anger over injustice, and social shame related to stigma ( Hillman, 2007 ; Fiske et al, 2014 ). On the other hand, it may provide a sense of meaningfulness that is invaluable for the grandparents when facing the life tasks of Adulthood II: rediscovering their identity and finding new ways of being useful ( Erikson, 1950 ; Bateson, 2010 ).…”

Section: Nature-based Family Rehabilitation: Three Nordic Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Still, interventions aimed at grandparents are as greatly needed as they are scarce ( Hillman, 2007 ; Fiske et al, 2014 ; Zakirova-Engstrand et al, 2021 ). The grandparents need both information and skills related to childcare ( Klasén McGrath, 2008 ; Zakirova-Engstrand et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Nature-based Family Rehabilitation: Three Nordic Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoring Connectedness in and to Nature: Three Nordic Examples of Recontextualizing Family Therapy to the Outdoors

Mattsson¹,

Fernee²,

Pärnänen³

et al. 2022

Front. Psychol.

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Mentalization-based family therapy and family rehabilitation represent a rich variety of approaches for assisting families with difficult interaction patterns. On the other hand, adventure therapy methods have been successfully used with families to offer them empowering experiences of succeeding together against difficult odds and to improve communication between family members. Further, the health promoting qualities of spending time outdoors are now well established and recognized. The Nordic approach to mentalization-based family rehabilitation combines adventure, outdoor, and systemic therapy. We provide three examples of nature-based family rehabilitation practices that are delivered as brief, multi-family psychological interventions taking place in nearby nature and aiming to support sustainable, systemic change. The current contribution is a description of clinical practice, not a systematic review or a formal evaluation. We propose that recontextualizing mentalization-based family rehabilitation to the outdoors can not only provide added health benefits, but also strengthen intra-familial attuned interaction and emotional connectedness. The outdoor adventure provides the families with embodied, multisensory experiences of verbal and, especially, non-verbal interaction that can be usefully examined through the lens of theory of mentalization. The concreteness of adventure experiences is particularly beneficial for families that have difficulties in verbal communication and/or utilizing executive functions, perhaps due to neuropsychiatric traits, intellectual disabilities, or learning difficulties. Furthermore, outdoor adventure can support the participants’ connectedness to nature.

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“…Most of the parents feel helpless and overwhelmed when they first find the diagnosis, and along usual the steps of dealing with loss: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005). The entire family requirescounseling and support group to cope with the stress of having a child with ASD (Fiske, Pepa, & Harris, 2014).…”

Section: The Spinner Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

An ecological approach of autism spectrum disorders

Predescu¹,

Ghazi²,

Darjan³

2018

JES

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most researched topics in the last decades. The research led to a better understanding of the field and raised the number of children properly diagnosed. But also, the ASD became a social topic because it affects both families and society as a whole. In this paper, we propose an innovative ecological approach of ASD, based on a holistic approach of it. We recognize the fact that sectorial approaches, such as intervention in school, or family therapy are not sufficient to overcome the ASD. Instead, we propose an ecological model, in which the assessment and interventions are made at individual, family, school and societal level in order to structure a support network for the child and family.

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Supporting Parents, Siblings, and Grandparents of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Cited by 8 publications

References 98 publications

“I received a leaflet and that is all”: Father experiences of a diagnosis of autism

“I received a leaflet and that is all”: Father experiences of a diagnosis of autism

Restoring Connectedness in and to Nature: Three Nordic Examples of Recontextualizing Family Therapy to the Outdoors

An ecological approach of autism spectrum disorders

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