Author : Allysa N. Ware
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (137 download)
Book Synopsis Examining the Process and Impact of Parent Affiliate Stigma on Raising a Child with ASD in African American Families by : Allysa N. Ware
Download or read book Examining the Process and Impact of Parent Affiliate Stigma on Raising a Child with ASD in African American Families written by Allysa N. Ware and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disorder that affects children in the areas of behavior, communication and socialization. Currently, 1 in 44 children across the U.S. has an ASD. Displays of behaviors that depart from social norms can lead to the social stigmatization of children with ASD, which can extend to parents and caregivers. Consequently, these parents or caregivers may become the subject of negative social reactions and alienation or affiliate stigma. This affiliate stigma can contribute to parents' feelings of stress and mental health challenges. Research demonstrates that stigmatization of individuals with ASD is present in the African American community and exerts negative effects on the well-being of children with ASD and their families. However, most of the research has not yet adequately examined the relationship between the stigma process and parental efforts in raising a child with ASD for African American families. Grounded in Link and Phelan's conceptualizations on how social stereotyping contributes to stigmatization, Kinnear and colleagues studied the process of parents' difficulties with stigma and its impact on their difficulties in raising a child with ASD. However, Kinnear's sample population was mostly racially white (84.5%). Consequently, this study aimed to close the gap in research by examining whether there is a significant relationship between parental difficulties with stigma in relation to African American parental difficulties in raising a child with ASD. This cross-sectional study involved primary data collection through an online survey. A sample of 2,276 African American adult parents was recruited through national disability and autism-specific organizations. Study hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analyses (MRA) with selected controls. For African American study participants, parental perceptions of stereotypes, family isolation, and family exclusion did not impact their difficulty of raising a child with ASD in the full replicated model. However, when the targeted dependent variable was changed within the model process, only family isolation did not predict difficulty of raising a child with ASD. Social workers and other mental health professionals can benefit from an increased understanding of the relationship between the stigma process and difficulty with raising a child with ASD that this study provides. Further discussion on study findings with an expanded model, implications for practice, limitations, and recommendations for future research are presented as well.