Painting the vortex: The existential structure of the experience of parenting a child with autism

Abstract

The experience of parenting a child with autism is one of change to the parent's self. The associated triad of impairment in autism of impaired communication, social skills and a repetitive way of being permeates into the self of the parent through the medium of the social parent child relationship. This is a progressive process likened to the parent being pulled into a vortex. The existential mechanisms through which this may plausibly occur are considered.

Keywords:

• Autism
• Dasein
• parenting
• phenomenology

Acknowledgements

The Nurses Registration Board of NSW for the scholarship that contributed to the financial cost of the research.

 The parents who freely gave of their time and of their selves to participate in the research. Dr Cheryl Waters and Dr Michael Cary of the University of Technology of Sydney Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery and Health for their part in the conversations that took part as the ideas reported in this paper evolved.