Urban Families Parenting a Child with Autism: A Qualitative Investigation

Abstract

The goal of this dissertation was to explore the experience of parents raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in an urban area. This study was qualitative in methodology, with a generic qualitative inquiry framing the research design. A review of previous research literature highlighted the need for diversity in populations studied. There is a lack of racial and economic diversity in samples of qualitative studies on the experiences of parenting a child with ASD. This study captures the unique experiences of diverse urban families and how ASD influences overall familial functioning. The population of interest consisted of urban parents who were biological parents of a child with ASD. An effort was made to recruit a diverse sample of participants. The study sample consisted of four African-American participants, two Hispanic participants, and two White participants. Eight parents from this demographic of study participated in semi-structured interviews conducted virtually. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data provided by participants in the study. Data analysis revealed six composite themes and 18 associated patterns that characterized research findings. Despite some adversities, parents reported many complex, rewarding experiences. This study also revealed that parents find components of formal and informal support to be mediating buffers against stressors related to parenting. Moreover, composite findings revealed that removing barriers to accessing resources and centralizing support was critical to urban families and the dynamics of their familial functioning. Furthermore, urban parents felt an increased need to advocate against ASD stigma while highlighting their child's unique strengths. Many study participants advocated for viewing children with ASD for their ability and not defining them by their disability. Study participants were limited to the biological mothers of children with ASD despite recruitment efforts. Recommendations for future studies may focus on researching the experience of birth mothers and fathers raising a child with ASD in an urban environment.