| Summary: | 碩士 === 臺北市立大學 === 心理與諮商學系 === 104 === This study aims to explore the situation and concerns of parenting experiences of parents of high functioning teenagers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A qualitative approach was adopted. Five parents of high functioning ASD teenagers from the Tian-Xing Institution were invited to participate in a focus group. And three of them (one father and two mothers) also received individual interviews. Data collected from the semi-structured in-depth interviews were analyzed by the researcher. Through a continuous process of repeated reflections and interpretations, the researcher reached a deep and comprehensive understanding about the participating parents and their parenting experiences.
The results were:
1. The parents felt confused and uncertain when they faced difficulties and challenges in parenting their ASD children. However, social resources were in general passive and not immediately available; therefore, it was very difficult for these parents to get timely and effective assistance.
2. During their parenting practice, these parents felt not to be understood and accepted by their families of origin, in-laws, school systems, and society. The frustration encountered in school systems somehow transformed the parent-child relationship from opposition to ally.
3. The expectations and demands from mainstream societal values imposed more hardship on these parents in parenting their ASD children. After long struggle, the parents resolved to break through the societal bondage.
4. The parenting processes of these parents in general progressed from misunderstanding to better understanding of their ASD children. It appears that the parent-child ally in company with each other would move forward in their life journey with coexisting helplessness and resilience. The factors of transformation of parent-child relationship are experiencing not to be understood with their ASD children and feeling hurt when their ASD children encountered bullying and frustration on their interpersonal relationship.
Based on the findings of this study, a few suggestions are proposed for practitioners in hope to enhance the service and counseling for high functioning ASD teenagers and their parents.
Key words: autism spectrum disorder, high functioning, parenting, teenager, transformation
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