Coping mechanisms of parents of children recently diagnosed with autism in Taiwan: a qualitative study

Objective.  To understand the coping mechanisms of Taiwanese parents whose children have recently been diagnosed with autism. Background.  When a child is diagnosed with autism, the family’s life changes. Parents of a child with autism have been shown to cope with problem- or emotion-focused coping strategies. However, it is not known how parents in Taiwan adapt and cope with the stresses of taking care of an autistic child, especially in the early period after learning their child’s diagnosis and while waiting for free national day care arrangements at hospital. Design.  A descriptive qualitative design was used, with in-depth interviews. Methods.  Parents of children diagnosed with autism (n = 17) were recruited from a children’s psychiatric outpatient clinic at a medical centre in northern Taiwan. The parents were still waiting for free national day care arrangements at hospital. Data were collected through individual, tape-recorded interviews and observations, and transcripts were analysed by content analysis for emerging themes and concepts. Results.  The study sample of parents of children with autism described nine main coping mechanisms that fell into three core categories: adjusting to self-change, developing treatments for the autistic child and seeking support. Conclusions.  The results of this study could be used by clinicians to help parents of autistic children become aware of whether or not they are using healthy coping mechanisms, and to suggest concrete and healthy coping strategies, particularly in the period after the diagnosis is confirmed and they are waiting for free national day care arrangements at hospital. Relevance to clinical practice.  Clinicians in child psychiatry are encouraged to become part of the social support network for parents of autistic children, thus helping them adjust to the long journey of caring for their children.