Doświadczenia emocjonalne rodziców w procesie diagnozy dziecka ze spektrum zaburzeń autystycznych

Abstract

As the population of children who are diagnosed as being on autism spectrum grows in number, so does the interest of scientists in this subject. Specialists in various fields increasingly not only focus on the children themselves but also examine their families’ situation and functioning. By doing so, they aim to understand the family as a system. Numerous empirical studies have demonstrated that when a baby with a disability is born or when it develops in an abnormal way, this becomes a source of suffering, anxiety, grief, or hostility towards the outside world. Such a situation is viewed as a crisis, a loss, and a process of mourning; working through these experiences is difficult, requires tremendous work, and requires external support in many cases. For these reasons, this paper provides a brief overview of parents’ experiences in the process of diagnosing a child; it cites the literature on the topic and shows the different paths of these experiences.