Folk tittar på mig som om jag är dum i huvudet när jag säger att mitt barn inte pratar : En kvalitativ studie om föräldrars hantering av svårigheter i vardagslivet med barn som har autism

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to understand how parents to children with autism handle difficulties in their daily lives. Previous research defines autism and shows how it can affect families but it doesn’t show how families handle autism. We have done eight qualitative interviews with parents to children with autism. The result shows similar forms of difficulties in families which children with autism, even though the degree of difficulties varies. The result furthermore shows that the parent handles these similar difficulties in similar ways. The parents may use a variety of forms of coping. Through coping as a problem-focused strategy the parents deal with the situation by actively prohibiting the child with autisms acting out. In other cases parents might have to deal mentally with a situation which signifies an emotional-focused coping where they passively manage the difficulties everyday life presents. For example, the parents may seek support by a family member who gives the parents alleviation of the burden the parents experiences. In this study the results are finally discussed in relation to the implications for further research and practical social work.