Skip to main content
Log in

Parent and professional evaluations of family stress associated with characteristics of autism

  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of various individual symptoms of autism on mothers and fat hers, and professionals' accuracy in estimating parents' perceived stress levels. Mothers and fathers of 20 autistic children, and 20 therapists working with those children, independently rated the severity of common symptoms of autism in their child, and how stressful they found each symptom; therapists estimated parental stress. The autistic child's language and cognitive impairment were judged by all raters as most severe and stressful. In contrast with other studies, individual parents agreed on both symptom severity and degree of stress. Parents of older children judged symptom severity to be lower, but fathers reported a continued high level of stress. Professionals judged families as more stressed by the child symptoms than did families themselves. Implications for intervention and casework are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bebko, J. M. (1985).Evaluations of stress by parents and professionals. Paper presented to the National Conference on Autism, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

  • Blacher, J. (Ed.). (1984).Severely handicapped young children and their families. Orlando, Florida: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bristol, M. M. (1979).Maternal coping with autistic children: The effect of child characteristics and interpersonal supprt. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bristol, M. M., & Schopler, E. (1983). Coping and stress in families of autistic adolescents. In E. Schopler & G. B. Mesibov (Eds.),Autism in adolescents and adults. New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bristol, M. M., & Schopler, E. (1984). A developmental perspective on stress and coping in families of autistic children. In J. Blacher (Ed.),Severely handicapped young children and their families. Orlando, Florida: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burr, W. R. (1970). Satisfaction with various aspects of marriage over the life cycle: A random middle-class sample.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 31, 29–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMyer, M., & Goldberg, P. (1983). Family needs of the autistic adolescent. In E. Schopler & G. B. Mesibov (Eds.),Autism in adolescents and adults. New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holroyd, J., Brown, N., Winkler, L., & Simmons, J. Q. (1975). Stress in families of institutionalized and noninstitutionalized autistic children.Journal of Community Psychology, 3, 26–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holroyd, J., & McArthur, D. (1976). Mental retardation and stress on the parents: A contrast between Down's syndrome and childhood autism.American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 80, 431–436.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective contact.Nervous Child, 2, 217–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Konstantareas, M. M. (1985).Stress and coping for parents. Paper presented to the National Conference on Autism, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

  • Marcus, L. (1977). Patterns of coping in families of psychotic children.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 47, 383–399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesibov, G. B. (1983). Current perspectives and issues in autism and adolescence. In E, Schopler & G. B. Mesibov (Eds.),Autism in adolescents and adults. New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritvo, E. R. (Ed.). (1976).Autism: Diagnosis, current research and management. New York: Spectrum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1983). Cognitive deficits in the pathogenesis of autism.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 24, 513–531.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schopler, E., & Reichler, R. J. (1972). How well do parents understand their own psychotic child?Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 2, 387–400.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schopler, E., Reichler, R. J., DeVellis, R. F., & Daly, K. (1980). Toward objective classification of childhood autism: Childhood autism rating scale (CARS).Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10, 91–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Velleman, P. F., & Hoaglin, D. C. (1981).Applications, basics and computing of exploratory data analysis. Boston: Duxbury Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, J. S., Granger, R. D., & Sameroff, A. J. (1984). Parental acceptance and developmental handicap. In J. Blacher (Ed.),Severely handicapped young children and their families. Orlando, Florida: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

We wish to express our thanks to the parents of the children and the staff of the Geneva Centre for their cooperation in this project, and to Carolyn Lennox, Martha Leary, and Julie Mayerovitch for their input at various stages.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bebko, J.M., Konstantareas, M.M. & Springer, J. Parent and professional evaluations of family stress associated with characteristics of autism. J Autism Dev Disord 17, 565–576 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01486971

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01486971

Keywords

Navigation