Parenting a child with Autism Spectrum disorder: parental work context

Abstract

This research contributes to the literature on work-related factors for parents raising a child with a disability. Specifically, we used questionnaire methodology to compare two parent families raising a child with Autism Spectrum (AS) with similar families raising ‘typical’ children. Our findings suggested that parents raising a child with AS self-report higher parenting stress and more mental health symptomatology, as well as lower overall job satisfaction, less satisfaction with supervisors and less workplace contentment. In addition, our findings suggested that parents raising a child with a disability self-report similarly to parents raising ‘typical’ children with respect to work interest, commitment and quality, as well as time missed. In conclusion, our results appear to suggested that despite increased parental stress related to parenting a child with AS, with respect to several work-related factors, there are more similarities than differences among these parenting groups.

L'objectif principal de la présente étude était de contribuer à la littérature sur les facteurs liés au travail pour les parents qui élèvent un enfant avec un handicap. Plus précisément, cette recherche a comparé les familles biparentales qui élèvent un enfant affecté par le spectre autistique (SA) avec les familles similaires élevant des enfants ‘typiques’. Nos résultats suggèrent que les parents qui élèvent un enfant vivant avec le SA rapportent une satisfaction avec le travail plus faible, ainsi que moins de satisfaction avec les superviseurs et de contentement avec le milieu de travail. De plus, nos résultats suggèrent que les parents qui élèvent un enfant avec un handicap rapportent des résultats similaires à ceux de parents élevant des enfants ‘typiques’ à l'égard de l'intérêt, l'engagement et la qualité du travail ainsi que le temps manquait. En conclusion, nos résultats semblent indiquer que, à l'égard de plusieurs facteurs liés au travail, il y a plus de similitudes que de différences entre ces groupes de parents.

Keywords:

• Autism Spectrum
• parenting stress
• mental health
• work
• job satisfaction
• work interest
• absenteeism

Mots-clés:

• spectre de l'autisme
• le stress parental
• la santé
• mentale
• AS
• le travail
• la satisfaction au travail
• l'intérêt
• l'absence

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge all of the families that agreed to participate in this research. In addition, the authors gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance of the Human Early Learning Partnership for completion of this project. The views expressed in this paper are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Human Early Learning Partnership.

Notes

1. Use of the term ‘child with a disability’ is not intended to create social oppression in any sense. The use of this term reflects the preference of the participant group but should be considered imperfect, based upon implications of any similar term (e.g., see Burman 2008; Bridgens, 2009; McLaughlin & Goodley, 2008).

2. Use of the term ‘typical’ is intended to reflect developmental trajectories most commonly found in Canadian society and is not intended to create social oppression in any sense. The use of this term reflects the preference of the participant group but should be considered imperfect, based upon implications of any similar term (e.g., see Burman 2008; Bridgens, 2009; McLaughlin & Goodley, 2008).