https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7760-2649
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ABSTRACT
Introduction
Caregivers of autistic children and caregivers of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) experience considerable stress. However, what is unique or similar across these groups remains understudied. This study explored how female caregivers of children with FASD who registered to participate in a caregiver focused mental health intervention differed from female caregivers of autistic children participating in a similar intervention.
Methods
Prior to the intervention, caregivers of children with FASD (n = 21), and caregivers of autistic children (n = 22) were asked to complete an online baseline questionnaire. This questionnaire collected information pertaining to caregiver and child demographics, as well as clinical characteristics related to wellbeing, values, and what caregivers identified as rewarding and challenging about raising their child.
Results
Results identified similarities across caregiver groups in terms of wellbeing, values, and the challenges and rewards they identified with raising their children.
Conclusions
Given the similarities in these two caregiver groups, and the shortage of research on families of people with FASD relative to families of autistic people, interventions for family caregivers in the autism community may also be applicable for FASD families, for whom fewer resources are available.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 We have used identity-first language for autistic people because this is the language preferred by autistic people (see: Bury et al., Citation2020; Kenny et al., Citation2016; Lei et al., Citation2021). We have used person-first language for people with FASD because this is the language preferred by people with FASD (see: CanFASD, Citation2021).