1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The purpose of the present study was to investigate the positive and negative cognitive appraisals formed by families in caring for their child diagnosed specifically with an autism spectrum disorder.» (p. 39)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«First, it was hypothesized that overall family quality of life, authoritative parenting, adaptive behaviour and aberrant behaviour would predict positive cognitive appraisal (Hypothesis 1). Second, it was hypothesized that overall family quality of life, authoritative parenting, adaptive behaviour, aberrant behaviour would also predict parents’ negative cognitive appraisal of raising a child with autism (Hypothesis 2).» (p. 40)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«The participants in this study were recruited via two larger studies that are being conducted at the Montreal Children’s Hospital Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Research Program.» (p.41) «Fifty-four families with a child between 6 and 9 years old participated. In order to confirm the child’s diagnosis of autism, gold-standard diagnostic measures for ASD were administered which entailed an interview for the parent and a direct observation of the child’s behaviour.» (p. 5)

Instruments :
Questionnaires

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«Parents caring for a child with a disability experience significantly more stress in comparison to parents with children without a disability. Caring for a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been reported to be more stressful than caring for a child with other types of disabilities. […] Family quality of life predicted 36.6% of the variance in negative cognitive appraisal, and the relationship between the two variables was inverse, such that parents reporting higher satisfaction with their family quality of life reported that lower negative cognitive appraisals.» (p. 5) «Parenting style, a factor that concerns the parents’ use of disciplinary behaviours with the child, did not predict the parents’ positive cognitive appraisals.» (p. 69)