Publication year
2015
Citation Title
The experience of military families with children with autism spectrum disorders during relocation and separation.
Journal Name
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Journal Volume
45
Issue Number
7
Page Numbers
2019-2034
Summary
Spouses and partners of Active Duty Service members with one young child with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder were interviewed to gather information on their experiences in the military. The parents described difficulties with obtaining services for autism spectrum disorders as a result of relocation and increased emotional and behavioral problems exhibited by their children as a result of relocation and separation.
Key Findings
Participants experienced challenges due to therapeutic service accessibility and continuity (e.g., limited providers, access to services, and delays in services).
Parents noticed an increase in family stress and negative emotional and behavioral problems in their children with autism spectrum disorder after moving to a new location.
Parents reported difficulties coordinating autism spectrum disorder services and therapy; these difficulties were compounded by limited access to extended family and inconsistent community support during deployments.
Parents described increases in child stress, anxiety, and challenging behaviors during separations.
Implications for Program Leaders
Collaborate with therapeutic service professionals for children with autism spectrum disorders to facilitate connection to services for these families
Develop a list of local service providers for children with autism spectrum disorders to distribute to families
Provide support groups for parents of children living with autism spectrum disorders
Implications for Policy Makers
Collaborate with community services to provide respite care for families with children with autism spectrum disorders, especially while the Service member is deployed
Encourage military families to enroll in services when they receive orders instead of requiring them to wait until they physically arrive at the new location
Recommend professional development for professionals who work with military families to educate them about unique factors that contribute to stress for families with children who have special needs
Methods
Military spouses who had 6-12 year old child with autism spectrum disorder were recruited via online discussion groups and social media; 17% of those who expressed interest participated.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted via video messaging. Interview questions addressed the process of getting the autism diagnosis, experiences obtaining and maintaining services, and how being in the military has impacted their experience.
The transcribed interviews were analyzed to identify themes among parents' responses.
Participants
Fifteen female partners of Active Duty Service members participated.
Forty percent of partners were in the Army, 20% Navy, 20% Air Force, 13% Coast Guard, 7% Marine Corps.
Racial ethnic composition was 80% White, 13% Native American, and 7% Black. No other demographic information was aggregated.
Limitations
The sample size was small, which limits the ability to generalize the results to other populations.
The sample was not random, and those who chose to participate may have been different from those in the military as a whole.
Only military wives’ perspectives were included.
Avenues for Future Research
Gather data from more military families with children with autism spectrum disorders to determine the needs of a larger sample
Include the Service members’ perspectives and analyze results across services available across different Service branches.
Include the perspectives of high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder about their needs and experiences
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Military families with a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are underrepresented in the literature. In order to provide appropriate services, research must be done to determine the needs of these families. A qualitative methodology was used to interview military spouses with children with ASD about their experiences with therapeutic services. Overall, results indicate military families with a child with ASD experience challenges associated with both the military lifestyle and having a child with special needs. Due to their membership in two groups prone to support limitations and therapeutic service accessibility issues, military families with a child with ASD may be at additional risk for high levels of stress and difficulty obtaining and maintaining ASD related services.
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