Research Paper Proposal - How does Autism shape the family unit?

This past summer I volunteered at a summer program for children and adults with autism. Having an autistic child is much more difficult than raising one without the disability. Not only does it make it difficult because they can be fixated on one item for hours, there are behavioural issues, and often there is a sense of detachment that makes one feel that there is no emotional connection. As well, there is no cure for autism, and these autistic children grow into autistic adults. The idea of how to care for your child, or worrying about who will take care of them after you would be frightening and quite stressful. As well, in severe cases, autistic children can be more difficult that a parent can handle, and can be living in group homes for autistic children. I feel like this would be a difficult decision, feeling as though you are no longer capable of caring for your child.

This is an important issue in studying the family, because it differs from a normative nuclear family. It changes the roles of everyone, as additional care is needed throughout the child’s life. As well, this increase in difficulty would add a significant amount of stress to the family. I want to explore how having an autistic child changes the family. How does it affect the marital relationship? Does it cause marital stress or lead to divorce? Does the stress affect the mother and the father differently? How does the use of medication help the behaviour? Does the choice to medicate a child impact the parents? How does it impact siblings? Does it impact the overall functionality of the family? Does it change their roles outside of the household? What is the difference between the impact of higher functioning autism and lower functioning autism on the family?

After reviewing the literature, I am sure I can very much explore the answers to these questions. One journal in particular, Behavior Modification, contains a vast amount of scholarly articles on the subject. After preliminary research, I’ve already learned that the divorce rate for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is higher than those of parents without, as well parents of autistic children suffer more from stress and depression than do parent’s of Down Syndrome children. I am looking forward to learning more about this particular issue with the family.