Date of Conferral

5-30-2024

Date of Award

May 2024

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Ethel Perry

Abstract

The number of individuals diagnosed with autoimmune diseases (AD) continues to rise, with the majority being women of childbearing age. There has been a concurrent increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Mothers of children with ASD are often the primary caretaker for their children, and report decreased quality of life and increased behavioral health concerns. AD and ASD have been studied separately through a quantitative lens, with findings demonstrating similarities between the two regarding potential etiology. Few qualitative studies have been conducted to understand the stress and coping experienced by mothers with AD parenting children with ASD. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the stress and coping experiences of mothers with AD while parenting children with ASD. The transactional model of stress and coping was used as the conceptual framework for this study to better understand effective supports and services needed for these mothers across system pathways. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 mothers with ADs aged 35 to 52 parenting children diagnosed with ASD. Responses to interviews were hand-coded. Findings resulted in 11 themes that demonstrated the stress and coping experienced by participants and needed support across systems, including delayed diagnosis, chronic pain and fatigue, time management, challenging ASD concerns, and lack of resources. Educating behavioral health and medical professionals, school staff, and communities through the voice of these mothers may assist in mitigating symptoms associated with stress and create a positive social change through a pathway to meaningful supports and services for these mothers and their children.

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