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. 2024 Aug;28(8):2080-2089.
doi: 10.1177/13623613231221126. Epub 2024 Jan 25.

Examining the associations among knowledge, empowerment, and advocacy among parents of transition-aged youth with autism

Chak Li  1 , W Catherine Cheung  2 , Meghan M Burke  1 , Julie Lounds Taylor  2 , Leann S DaWalt  3
Affiliations

Examining the associations among knowledge, empowerment, and advocacy among parents of transition-aged youth with autism

Chak Li et al. Autism. 2024 Aug.

Abstract

Parents of individuals with autism face many challenges in finding appropriate services and support for their children, and they also play an important role in advocating for their children's rights and needs. Despite the increasing availability of advocacy programs, it is still uncertain how to best encourage parents to advocate for their children. This study explored the connection between parents' knowledge and sense of empowerment, and how these factors relate to three types of advocacy activities (i.e. individual, peer, and systemic). The findings reveal that feeling empowered has a greater impact on advocacy than simply having knowledge. In addition, the study found that individual advocacy correlates to more peer advocacy, which also correlates to more systemic advocacy. These results can help researchers and professionals to better develop programs to increase parent advocacy and, in turn, help improve the lives of individuals with autism.

Keywords: advocacy; autism; empowerment; knowledge; parents; transition.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Structural model with significant paths. “—” represents statistically significant correlation; *p < 0.05. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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