THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, FAMILY SUPPORT, PARENTING STRESS, AND COPING

Background: As the number of children diagnosed with autism continues to rise, resources must be available to support parents of children with autism and their families. Parents need help as they assess their unique situations, reach out for help in their communities, and work to decrease their stress levels by using appropriate coping strategies that will benefit their entire family. Methods: A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted with 75 parents/primary caregivers of children with autism. Using the McCubbin and Patterson model of family behavior, adaptive behaviors of children with autism, family support networks, parenting stress, and parent coping were measured. Findings and Conclusions: An association between low adaptive functioning in children with autism and increased parenting stress creates a need for additional family support as parents search for different coping strategies to assist the family with ongoing and new challenges. Professionals should have up-to-date knowledge of the supports available to families and refer families to appropriate resources to avoid overwhelming them with unnecessary and inappropriate referrals.