La famiglia del bambino autistico tra resilienza e ostacoli: una rassegna di studi empirici
Loredana Benedetto, Gabriella Famà, Rosaria Bonfiglio, Alessandra Pipitò
The paper presents a review of research dealing with the families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with special attention to those studies which, going beyond the fragility of the psychological consequences they suffer, put the emphasis on family resilience factors, such as successful coping by members, which in turn allow them to safeguard welfare, progress to support and cohesion, and promote the prognosis of ASD through effective involvement in care. After discussing the emotional impact of the severity of ASD and the concerns and uncertainties about diagnosis, we examine the mediating role of coping and parental beliefs about ASD, including confidence in change and therapeutic choices. Finally, we analyse the characteristics of support, particularly the interventions and processes that can be activated to promote parents’ educational skills and resources.
