The major aim of this study was to determine how children diagnosed with autism shapes their parents' lives by specifying parents? life stories. The study group consisted of 10 parents who have children with autism. Parents who have participated in the study were determined through a preliminary interview prior to the study and in-depth interviews…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder demonstrate narrative (i.e. storytelling) difficulties which can significantly impact their ability to form and maintain social relationships. However, existing research has not comprehensively documented these impairments in more open-ended, emotionally evocative situations common to daily interactions.…

An estimated 13 percent of children in the U.S. ages 3-21 have special needs. The Latino population is the largest minority group in the United States, and in this group there is an increasing number of Latino parents with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The problem is that the combined negative effects of Latinos occupying three…

First-person perspectives of children with autism spectrum disorder are rarely included in research, yet their voices may help more clearly illuminate their needs. This study involved phenomenological interviews with children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 12, ages 4-13) used to gain insights about their sensory experiences. This article…

The purpose of the study is to describe the life experiences of a young man who has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) through a narrative research. In other words, our research aim is to investigate the nature of life and especially the social and school experiences of individual affected by this syndrome. Data were collected via…

This exploratory qualitative dissertation analyzed the narratives of six African-American fathers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Contributors were identified via snowball sampling and data were collected using in-depth interviewing and analyzed using analysis of narratives. Findings are presented via individual case…

Assumptions of difficulties with social interaction, or lack of interest in social interaction, are central to many definitions and conventional understandings of autism. However, many individuals with autism describe a strong craving social interaction. This article uses autobiographical accounts written by individuals who identified as autistic…

Much can be learned about the experience of autism by listening to the voices of individuals so labelled. They describe their understanding of competence, living in a culture where autism is considered deviant, deficient and outside the range of 'normal' human experience. This paper utilises autobiographical accounts written by individuals who…

There is a wealth of autobiographical material produced by people who describe themselves as experiencing autistic spectrum disorders. Increasingly, these writers and academics are suggesting that professionals should be using this material to help develop understanding. This paper describes a small scale, qualitative research project that…

This unique study used qualitative research methodology to investigate the first 18 years of parenting experiences of a mother of a child with autism. The purpose of this single case study was to record and understand the effect of autism on a mother's life retrospectively, to identify and analyse issues and themes that have shaped her life, to…