Thursday, May 20, 2010
Franklin Hall B Level 4 (Philadelphia Marriott Downtown)
1:00 PM
Background: Despite the socio-emotional challenges Asperger Syndrome (AS) may present, many adults with AS do develop long-term relationships. To date, there is a dearth of systematic research evidence on couple relationship or parenthood where AS is in effect.
Objectives: The purposes of this study are two-fold: 1) to examine the dynamics of marital quality in relationships where one spouse has AS; 2) to explore the impact of parental diagnosis of AS on parental alliance among parents with children with AS.
Methods: Approximately 100 participants completed measures on Quality of Marriage Index (Norton, 1983) and Parental Alliance Index (Abidin, 1988). Parents were divided into four groups according to diagnoses of AS in the family: self has AS and child has AS (Group 1), spouse has AS and child has AS (Group 2), only child has AS (Group 3) and, no parent or child has AS (Control). Each group was similar in number and male to female ratio.
Results: Results indicated statistically significant differences between the four groups in all seven key indicators: marital satisfaction and divorce cognition, parental investment, valuing spouse’s parenting involvement, respecting spouse’s judgment, desiring communication with spouse. Post-hoc comparisons found that only Group 2 reported significantly lower marital satisfaction than Control. Both Group 1 and 2’s scores on divorce cognition were significantly higher than Control. On the Parental Alliance Inventory, a similar pattern was found in parental investment, valuing spouse’s parenting involvement, respecting spouse’s judgment and desiring communication with spouse. Whilst Group 1 and 2 reported significantly lower scores than Control in all four indicators, Group 3 equalled Control. In other words, parents who themselves had AS as well as those with an AS spouse reported poorer parental alliance feelings than other groups.
Conclusions: These results suggested a number of things. Marital satisfaction seems more affected by parental diagnosis in addition to the child’s diagnosis than if only the child has AS. Similarly, diagnosis of AS in child alone has less effect on parental alliance in the couple dyads than both generations having AS. These results bring in a new perspective to understanding the dynamic of families with children with AS. It is expected that this perspective will impact on theory and research on couples affected by AS and, clinical assessment and intervention for families with children with AS. Recommendations for further research are discussed.
Objectives: The purposes of this study are two-fold: 1) to examine the dynamics of marital quality in relationships where one spouse has AS; 2) to explore the impact of parental diagnosis of AS on parental alliance among parents with children with AS.
Methods: Approximately 100 participants completed measures on Quality of Marriage Index (Norton, 1983) and Parental Alliance Index (Abidin, 1988). Parents were divided into four groups according to diagnoses of AS in the family: self has AS and child has AS (Group 1), spouse has AS and child has AS (Group 2), only child has AS (Group 3) and, no parent or child has AS (Control). Each group was similar in number and male to female ratio.
Results: Results indicated statistically significant differences between the four groups in all seven key indicators: marital satisfaction and divorce cognition, parental investment, valuing spouse’s parenting involvement, respecting spouse’s judgment, desiring communication with spouse. Post-hoc comparisons found that only Group 2 reported significantly lower marital satisfaction than Control. Both Group 1 and 2’s scores on divorce cognition were significantly higher than Control. On the Parental Alliance Inventory, a similar pattern was found in parental investment, valuing spouse’s parenting involvement, respecting spouse’s judgment and desiring communication with spouse. Whilst Group 1 and 2 reported significantly lower scores than Control in all four indicators, Group 3 equalled Control. In other words, parents who themselves had AS as well as those with an AS spouse reported poorer parental alliance feelings than other groups.
Conclusions: These results suggested a number of things. Marital satisfaction seems more affected by parental diagnosis in addition to the child’s diagnosis than if only the child has AS. Similarly, diagnosis of AS in child alone has less effect on parental alliance in the couple dyads than both generations having AS. These results bring in a new perspective to understanding the dynamic of families with children with AS. It is expected that this perspective will impact on theory and research on couples affected by AS and, clinical assessment and intervention for families with children with AS. Recommendations for further research are discussed.