Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Sep;5(3):194-213.
doi: 10.1111/jftr.12015.

A Stress Model for Couples Parenting Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Introduction of a Mindfulness Intervention

Karen Bluth  1 , Patricia N E Roberson  2 , Rhett M Billen  2 , Juli M Sams  2
Affiliations

A Stress Model for Couples Parenting Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Introduction of a Mindfulness Intervention

Karen Bluth et al. J Fam Theory Rev. 2013 Sep.

Abstract

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at an increased risk for acute and chronic stress compared to parents of children with other developmental disabilities and parents of children without disabilities. It is plausible that the stressors of having a child with ASD affect the couple relationship; however, few researchers have focused on this dynamic within these families. In this article, we seek to develop a model for how stress operates in families with children with ASD. In developing this new stress model, we describe the characteristics of ASD, discuss stressors that are pronounced in families of children with ASD as supported by the literature, and highlight the limitations of Perry's (2004) model in application to this population. Our expanded stress model includes the addition of parenting couple resources and parenting couple outcomes. Finally, we demonstrate how to apply the model using a mindfulness intervention to promote positive outcomes and strengthen the couple relationship.

Keywords: Autism; developmental disabilities; family stress model.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Perry’s stress model. A model of stress in families of children with DD
Figure 2
Figure 2
Parents of children with ASD stress model.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Parents of children with ASD stress model with mindfulness influence.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Ahrons C. The continuing coparental relationship between divorced spouses. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 1981;51:315–328. doi: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.1981.tb01390.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Altiere M, von Kluge S. Family functioning and coping behaviors in parents of children with autism. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 2009;18:83–92. doi: 10.1007/s10826-008-9209-y. - DOI
    1. Amato PR. The consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of Marriage and Family. 2000;62:1269–1287. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2000.01269.x. - DOI
    1. Amato PR, Keith B. Parental divorce and adult well-being: A meta-analysis. Journal of Marriage and the Family. 1991;53:43–58. doi: 10.2307/353132. - DOI
    1. American Psychological Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, DSM-IV-TR. 4. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.

LinkOut - more resources