Examining the Experiences and Information Needs of Parents of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Before and After the Diagnosis
On Tue, Feb 12, 2008 at 5:48 PM, Tara wrote:
Dear Parent,
I am contacting you in relation to a study you kindly participated in over a year and a half ago (Tara Murphy, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin). The study examined the type of information parents of children with autistic spectrum disorders search for before, during and after the diagnosis. It also explored the predictors of these needs, e.g. level of stress, positive perceptions, access to social support (i.e. family, friends, clinicians, teachers, etc) and ‘empowerment’.
The study took a long time to complete because I wanted to give parents as much time as possible to participate in this study. I contacted parents through various voluntary organisations (e.g. the Irish Society of Autism; Dochas; Irish Autism Action)and parent support groups as well as through local radio stations, parish newsletters and newspapers. 136 parents from across Ireland (north & south) participated in this study and you were one of these parents.
I have attached a copy of the findings from this study as well as the findings from the previous two studies from which the final study came about. I presented these findings at the Psychological Society of Ireland’s annual conference last November which was attended by a range of professionals including clinicians who work with families of children with ASDs throughout Ireland. I stressed the importance of information and support for families at the conference not only around the time of the diagnosis but also around other critical life stages when the child is e.g. making the transition from preschool to primary school; primary to secondary school; child to adult psychological services; etc. I have also presented these findings to a multidisciplinary team who works with families of children with ASDs.
I realise you participate in many studies throughout the year and I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you participated in my study. I hope you know just how much you contributed to this study and I will do everything I can to distribute these findings and help parents. If you know of parents whom you think would be interested in the findings from this study then please forward them this email with the attachments on my behalf.
Thank you so much,
Tara (Murphy)
Email: tara@twcdi.ie
(Dr Tara Murphy hails from Sligo originally, a number of NorthWest families participated in this study.)
