Assessing service and support disparities among families of children on the autism spectrum
Date
2022
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Families with children on the autism spectrum have critical service and support needs which intensify as their children reach adulthood. Use of autism-related services and social support are related to positive outcomes for children on the spectrum and their caregivers; conversely, gaps in service use and social support, especially as children age, contribute to caregiver stress and family strain. Although research assessing the needs of families with adult children on the spectrum has been limited to date, evidence suggests disparities exist across developmental and racial/ethnic lines. The purpose of this research is to identify disparities in unmet service need and perceived social support among families with adolescent versus adult children on the spectrum living at home and among racial/ethnic minority families as compared to non-minority families. A systemic family development framework is applied to evaluate the influence of unmet service need and social support on the family unit. A cross-sectional, quantitative web-based survey of 122 caregivers recruited through autism agencies and support groups was conducted. Analyses did not identify racial/ethnic and age disparities in unmet service need and social support; however, results revealed that male caregivers perceived more social support and unmet service need than female caregivers, and single caregivers perceived less social support than partnered caregivers. Findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to increase service access for male caregivers and social support access for female and single caregivers.
Description
Keywords
Autism, Disabilities studies, Service access, Social support