Raising a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Examining Parental Factors

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is quite common today. Although being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder causes children to face with various difficulties in their lives, raising a child with autism spectrum disorder also poses several difficulties for the parents and families. Studies showed that parents raising children with autism spectrum disorder may perceive their parenting as inadequate and may experience stress, depression and anxiety due to their children's health, behavioral, social and emotional problems. Parents cannot devote enough time to themselves and therefore report intense fatigue. At the same time, raising a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder also differentiates the relationship between parent and child. Within the family system, marriage and sibling relationships are also affected and parents report high divorce rates due to difficulties experienced within the family. Lack of access to sufficient financial resources and time also causes various difficulties within the family. All these difficulties negatively affect parents' quality of life. The necessity of interventions specific to the needs of parents in all these areas is inevitable. In this review study, it is aimed to examine difficulties parents experience with their children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and, to discuss the limitations of studies examining the impact of autism spectrum disorder on parents.

Keywords

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Parents
• Families
• Autism and Family

Otizm Spektrum Bozukluğu Tanılı Çocuk Yetiştirmek: Ebeveyn Faktörlerinin İncelenmesi

Öz

Otizm spektrum bozukluğu günümüzde oldukça yaygın görülen nörogelişimsel bir bozukluktur. Otizm spektrum bozukluğu tanısı almak çocukların yaşamlarında pek çok zorlukla karşı karşıya kalmalarına neden olmakla birlikte otizm spektrum bozukluğu tanılı bir çocuk yetiştirmek de çocuğun ebeveynleri ve aile sistemi üzerinde çeşitli zorluklar barındırmaktadır. Otizm spektrum bozukluğu tanılı çocuk yetiştiren ebeveynler kendi ebeveynliklerini yetersiz algılayabilmekte, çocuklarının davranış problemlerinden dolayı stres, depresyon ve kaygı yaşayabilmektedir. Ebeveynler kendilerine yeterli vakit ayıramamakta, bundan dolayı yoğun yorgunluk bildirmektedir. Aynı zamanda otizm spektrum bozukluğu tanılı çocuk yetiştirmek ebeveyn ve çocuk arasındaki ilişkiyi de farklılaştırmaktadır. Aile sistemi içerisinde ise evlilik ve kardeş ilişkileri etkilenmekte, aile içerisinde yaşanan zorluklardan dolayı ebeveynler yüksek boşanma oranları bildirmektedir. Yeterli maddi kaynağa ve zamana erişimin olmaması da aile içerisinde çeşitli zorluklara neden olmaktadır. Yaşanan tüm bu zorluklar ebeveynlerin yaşam kalitesini olumsuz etkilemektedir. Tüm bu alanlara ilişkin ebeveynlerin ihtiyaçlarına özgü oluşturulacak müdahalelerin gerekliliği ise kaçınılmazdır. Bu derleme çalışmasında otizm spektrum bozukluğu tanılı çocuk yetiştiren ebeveynlerin yaşamlarının farklı alanlarındaki zorlukların incelenmesi ve otizm spektrum bozukluğunun ebeveynler üzerindeki etkisini inceleyen çalışmaların kısıtlılıklarının tartışılması amaçlanmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Otizm Spektrum Bozukluğu
• Ebeveynler
• Aileler
• Otizm ve Aile

Kaynakça

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