Asperger Syndrome and Maternal Experiences

The purpose of this work was to explore the lived
experiences of mothers of children with Asperger
Syndrome. Based on the stories of interviewed
mothers, themes were analyzed and significant
findings were identified. Relevant themes included
(a) the experiences of stress during pregnancy and
birth; (b) grief and frustration after diagnosis;
(c) mothers needing and receiving emotional support;
(d) maternal advocacy for the child; (e) major
systems shortfalls including family, medical and
educational, future expectations; and maternal
advice to other mothers. From these relevant themes,
four significant findings became the pinnacle of
this work. These findings included failures of the
educational, medical, and family systems, the vital
role of the mother in providing advocacy for the
child, the phenomenon of stress during pregnancy,
and future expectations coupled with future
planning. Because their stories contribute to
understanding about this topic, this work has
implications for current theory and professional
practice with children identified with Asperger
Syndrome and High Functioning Autism.

Autorentext

Dr. Sharon Link is a mother of an autistic child, consultant, and presenter. Dr. Link currently is the Executive Director for Autism Disorders Leadership Center, a non-profit research center and is co-founder of Asperger Interventions & Support, Inc. a professional development firm. To learn more visit http://autismleadership.org.

Klappentext

The purpose of this work was to explore the lived experiences of mothers of children with Asperger Syndrome. Based on the stories of interviewed mothers, themes were analyzed and significant findings were identified. Relevant themes included (a) the experiences of stress during pregnancy and birth; (b) grief and frustration after diagnosis; (c) mothers needing and receiving emotional support; (d) maternal advocacy for the child; (e) major systems shortfalls including family, medical and educational, future expectations; and maternal advice to other mothers. From these relevant themes, four significant findings became the pinnacle of this work. These findings included failures of the educational, medical, and family systems, the vital role of the mother in providing advocacy for the child, the phenomenon of stress during pregnancy, and future expectations coupled with future planning. Because their stories contribute to understanding about this topic, this work has implications for current theory and professional practice with children identified with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism.