A CHILD WITH ASD—NOW WHAT? PARENTAL CHALLENGES FOLLOWING A DIAGNOSIS

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs an individual's occupational, social, academic, and personal functioning. This research aims to discuss the impacts experienced by families following the diagnostic process. To this end, an integrative literature review was conducted—drawing on the perspective of Hohendorff—with the objective of defining and clarifying the subject matter through the summarization of existing articles. This study is exploratory and qualitative in nature, utilizing a bibliographic research methodology. The discussion focuses on two central topics: the understanding and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the impact of the diagnosis on the mental health of caregivers. Furthermore, the study addresses the challenges inherent in "atypical motherhood" and the process of familial grief following a diagnosis. In summary, it is evident that the diagnosis and the presence of the disorder can lead to significant parental challenges—such as maternal overload and financial strain—which, in turn, affect the mental health of caregivers. This is often compounded by the loss of expectations regarding an "idealized" child who did not materialize as envisioned. It is of paramount importance that further research be conducted in this field, as the rising number of diagnoses means that an increasing number of families are affected, requiring ongoing attention from the field of psychology, professionals, and society as a whole.