Receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder can change family dynamics as well as overall family functioning. Families who have a child with autism spectrum disorder face different challenges than normative families. Therefore, the main focus of my master's thesis are problems that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder face. I was interested in the problems related to diagnosing the autism spectrum disorder, raising and educating the child, the feelings that parents deal with and how the family environment reacted. Parents can be very stressed and this can negatively affect their mental health and well-being. Seven parents participated in the study and they took part in a semi-structured interview. The results showed that parents carry a heavy burden; from receiving a diagnosis to pondering about the child’s future. Fewer parents report problems with their child’s schooling, relationship with their partner and friends, and receiving support. The majority of the issues the parents face are connected to formulating the diagnosis, and to concerns regarding the child’s future, and in general, to the negative experiences, stemming from the child’s behavior, which the parents evaluate as negative. The results of the master’s thesis can serve as the basis for further research with these families, both in the field of diagnosing children with autism spectrum disorder, psychological support for parents, as well as in other areas which the parents described as being problematic.
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