Supporting parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders

Master's Project (M.Ed.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2015According to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (ADEED), in the year 2013, 1,110 children with an ASD were enrolled across all the school districts within the state of Alaska (ADEED, 2013). Children with an ASD experience social, behavioral and academic difficulties and parents raising children with an ASD face numerous challenges related to meeting the needs of their child and family (Hall & Graff, 2010; Murphy, Christian, Caplin, & Young, 2007; Solomon & Chung, 2012). This paper reviews current research on experiences of ASD diagnoses for children and parents, and the efficacy of parental engagement with social support and family therapy. The literature review informed the creation of a PowerPoint presentation and a handbook that discuss the experiences of children and parents related to ASDs, describe the research to support the efficacy of local resources, and present the local resources for parents of children with ASDs