‘He is my job’: autism, school connectedness, and mothers’ roles

Abstract

School connectedness is an important protective factor for adolescent mental health. The researchers interviewed 21 mothers of students aged 11–16 years on the autism spectrum in urban and regional Australia to explore factors that influenced school connectedness and how these mothers constructed roles in supporting their children’s school connectedness. Mothers positioned themselves as indispensable, with no choice but to be highly involved. They took on roles of case manager, instigator pushing the school, warrior going into battle for their child, and supporter whose essential role no-one else would fulfil. This study elucidates the perceived stigma of being ‘painful parents’ and overwhelming responsibility experienced by mothers of adolescents on the spectrum. Mothers saw advocacy as their job, relentless and exhausting, and vital for their children’s connection to school. Their narrative insights foster greater understanding and empathy, assist in providing psychological support to families, and foster greater collaboration and school connectedness.

Points of Interest

• This article explores clear patterns in how mothers of adolescents on the autism spectrum constructed roles in supporting their children’s school connectedness.

• Mothers also described experiences of connection or lack of connection to their children’s schools, and their views on what factors helped and hindered that connection.

• The mothers’ perceived ‘job’ in advocating on behalf of their child came with the risk of feeling stressed, exhausted, and affected by stigma.

• Findings indicate that school staff need to listen to and value parents if students on the autism spectrum are going to feel connected and supported in the school community.

• Findings have potential to foster greater understanding and empathy, and more collaboration and connectedness between families and schools.

Keywords:

• School connectedness
• autism spectrum disorder
• motherhood
• intensive mothering
• advocacy
• disability

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Rachel Aberdein for transcribing the interviews.

Declaration of conflicting interests

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was financially supported by the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), established and supported under the Australian Government CRC Program [Project number 2.029RC].