Handbook of parent training

Emotional impact of ASD to parents

Parents feel shock, bewilderment, confusion and sorrow when their child is diagnosed
with ASD. They develop feelings of guilt, shame and remorse for having done something to
cause their childs autism, or not having found proper diagnosis and treatment soon enough.
Parents often label themselves as deviant for not having a normal child, because being normal is
the symbol of membership in the society. Most parents feel isolated (and are isolated) as they
spend more time trying to manage their child in home; as relatives withdraw, and as their energy
declines. Families often seek professionals who can give them multiple diagnosis and
suggestions to address their child. The result is anger, confusion and sometimes hopelessness.
But for others, the result is activation and self-reliance.
Without timely assistance, stress in the family increases as the parents have to handle
what become habitual disruptive behaviors and deficits (e.g., dressing) that require extra work. In
time, this may result to spousal problems may end in divorce, depression, and even less ability to
satisfy their childs needs.
Intervention
Early intervention is crucial for ASD. It is to lessen the negative effects of ASD to both
the child and the parents. One intervention may not be effective to every child because every
child is unique and has his/her own ways to help his/herself in the best way possible. A parentprofessional collaborative partnership defined by communication, personal commitment,
equality, skills, trust, and respect is an effective intervention. An individual program facilitated
by a psychologist provides the parents of a close, personal relationship. However, it is expensive.

There are programs such as Individual program connected to school program, Group program
not affiliated with the childs school and Group program affiliated with the childs school
program that can also be helpful for the childs development. Other professionals suggest that
providing training to parents of children with ASD is important considering that the family is the
only group that children with autism can depend on to seek, to obtain and to deliver services.
Parent training enhances parents social support and practical child-management and
instructional skills.

In the study entitled Stability and Individual change in Depressive Symptoms Among
Mothers Raising Young Children with ASD: Maternal and Children Correlates by Carter A.S.,
Martinez-Pedraza F. and Gray S.A., Mothers raising children with ASD evidence elevated
depressive symptoms. But symptom stability has not been examined. Mothers (N=143) of
toddlers with ASD (77% boys) were enrolled and assessed when their children were 18 to 33
months old and followed annually for 2 years. Multilevel developing revealed no significant
change in group depressive symptom level, which was in the moderately elevated range
(Intercept = 13.67; SE = 0.96). In contrast, there was significant individual variation in change
over time. Child problem behaviors and delayed competence, maternal anxiety symptoms and
angry/hostile mood, low parenting efficacy and social supports, and perceived coping styles were
associated with depression severity. Only maternal anxiety and parenting efficacy predicted
individual change. Many mothers do not appear to adapt, supporting the need for early
intervention for maternal well-being.

The study provides an evidence for the depression levels that mothers experience for not
acquiring an early intervention for maternal well-being. It helped the researchers to understand
the importance and effects of early intervention to further analyze the data that will be gathered.