Childhood Autism and Proactive Family Coping: Intergenerational Perspectives |
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| Authors: | Eva Kahana Jeong Eun Lee Jeffrey Kahana Timothy Goler Boaz Kahana Sarah Shick |
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| Institution: | 1. Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USAexk@case.edu;3. Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA;4. Mount Saint Mary University, Newburgh, New York, USA;5. Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA |
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| Abstract: | This article considers the value of intergenerational and specifically, grandparental support, in the management of adaptive tasks posed by raising a young child with autism. The tasks addressed range from accessing early intervention to enhancing family social functioning. We note unique social, financial, and health-related stressors faced by families of children with autism. We outline an innovative, stress theory-based framework, the Autism Proactive Intergenerational Adaptation (APIA) Model, which delineates the role of grandparents in contributing to family adaptation to the stresses of raising a child with autism. We focus on proactive family coping strategies in building resilience and ameliorating the adverse impact of stressors on quality of life (QOL) for individual family members and for the family unit. We discuss barriers and facilitators of intergenerational alliances involving grandparental participation and support. |
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| Keywords: | autism caregiving grandparents early intervention family resilience adaptation stress intergenerational alliances |
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