Parents’ Perspectives Regarding Support for Raising a Child on the Autism Spectrum in Switzerland: A Mixed-Methods Study

IF 2.1 3区心理学 Q2 FAMILY STUDIES

Journal of Child and Family Studies Pub Date : 2025-07-01 DOI:10.1007/s10826-025-03108-w

Isabella Mutschler, Mathias Durrer, Jasmine Deraita, Andrea H. Meyer

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引用次数: 2

Abstract

Abstract Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) play a pivotal role in securing adequate services and supports. This study examined, from a Swiss parental perspective, (a) the support needs of families raising a child with ASD, (b) the broader impact of ASD on family functioning, and (c) parents’ psychological resources. A convergent parallel mixed methods cross-sectional design was used, in which qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously, analyzed independently, and then integrated during interpretation. A total of 88 parents participated in the qualitative part of the study, and within that sample, 60 also completed the quantitative part. Thematic analysis of interview data yielded seven major themes: (1) services for children with ASD, (2) social support, (3) help and services for parents, (4) ASD diagnosis and its impact on the family, (5) sibling relationships, (6) schooling, and (7) societal attitudes. Parents consistently expressed the need for more specialized ASD providers, enhanced recreational opportunities for their children, counseling and parent-training programs, and implementation of a case-management system to coordinate care. Quantitative analyses indicated that higher parental resilience was significantly associated with greater parenting self-efficacy, lower parenting stress, and fewer symptoms of depression and psychological distress. Integration of qualitative and quantitative results revealed that, despite higher resilience and better psychological functioning, parents faced substantial unmet needs when navigating support systems. These findings underscore the necessity of targeted, family-centered interventions—such as early screening and diagnosis, evidence-based treatment and parent training, and case management—to enhance support for families of children with ASD. Practical implications of these findings for supporting families of children on the autism spectrum are discussed.

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瑞士父母对自闭症儿童抚养支持的观点：一项混合方法研究

自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童的父母在获得适当的服务和支持方面发挥着关键作用。本研究从瑞士父母的角度考察了(a)抚养自闭症儿童家庭的支持需求，(b)自闭症对家庭功能的广泛影响，以及(c)父母的心理资源。采用收敛平行混合方法横断面设计，定性和定量数据同时采集，独立分析，再在解释过程中进行整合。共有88名家长参与了研究的定性部分，其中60名家长也完成了定量部分。访谈数据的专题分析产生了七个主要主题：(1)对自闭症儿童的服务，(2)社会支持，(3)对父母的帮助和服务，(4)自闭症诊断及其对家庭的影响，(5)兄弟姐妹关系，(6)学校教育，(7)社会态度。家长们一致表示需要更专业的ASD提供者，为他们的孩子提供更多的娱乐机会，提供咨询和家长培训计划，并实施病例管理系统来协调护理。定量分析表明，更高的父母弹性与更高的父母自我效能感、更低的父母压力、更少的抑郁症状和心理困扰显著相关。定性和定量结果的整合显示，尽管有更高的弹性和更好的心理功能，父母在导航支持系统时面临大量未满足的需求。这些发现强调了有针对性的、以家庭为中心的干预措施的必要性，如早期筛查和诊断、循证治疗和家长培训以及病例管理，以加强对自闭症儿童家庭的支持。讨论了这些发现对支持自闭症儿童家庭的实际意义。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Child and Family Studies Multiple-

CiteScore

3.60

自引率

4.80%

发文量

300

期刊介绍： Journal of Child and Family Studies (JCFS) international, peer-reviewed forum for topical issues pertaining to the behavioral health and well-being of children, adolescents, and their families. Interdisciplinary and ecological in approach, the journal focuses on individual, family, and community contexts that influence child, youth, and family well-being and translates research results into practical applications for providers, program implementers, and policymakers. Original papers address applied and translational research, program evaluation, service delivery, and policy matters that affect child, youth, and family well-being. Topic areas include but are not limited to: enhancing child, youth/young adult, parent, caregiver, and/or family functioning; prevention and intervention related to social, emotional, or behavioral functioning in children, youth, and families; cumulative effects of risk and protective factors on behavioral health, development, and well-being; the effects both of exposure to adverse childhood events and assets/protective factors; child abuse and neglect, housing instability and homelessness, and related ecological factors influencing child and family outcomes.