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Desquenne Godfrey G, Downes N, Cappe E. A Systematic Review of Family Functioning in Families of Children on the Autism Spectrum. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:1036-1057. [PMID: 36626001 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05830-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This article aims to review the literature on family functioning in the field of autism. The search was conducted in August 2021 in PubMed, PsycINFO, and PubPsy and sixty-two articles were included. Studies were published in English between 1980 and 2021 and provided quantitative data from validated measures of family functioning in families with an official diagnosis of autism. Results showed that family functioning appeared more problematic for families of autistic children than non-autistic ones. Difficulties were correlated with more caregiver demand and less resources. Interventional results varied. The findings highlight the importance of considering family functioning when providing care for autistic children and their families. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.Prospero registration number: CRD42022297696.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwendoline Desquenne Godfrey
- Université Paris Cité, Laboratoire de Psychopathologie et Processus de Santé, F-92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Naomi Downes
- Université Paris Cité, Laboratoire de Psychopathologie et Processus de Santé, F-92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Emilie Cappe
- Université Paris Cité, Laboratoire de Psychopathologie et Processus de Santé, F-92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
- Institut universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France.
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Steffensen EH, Rosvig LH, Santoro S, Pedersen LH, Vogel I, Lou S. Parenting a child with Down syndrome: A qualitative study of everyday practices in Danish families. J Genet Couns 2021; 31:758-770. [PMID: 34939262 DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Genetic counseling about Down syndrome is suggested to include information on a future family life. However, there is an insufficient knowledge on the potential impact of parenting a child with Down syndrome on parents' everyday practices. We aimed to address this gap by exploring the experienced everyday practices of parents in families where a child has Down syndrome. Taking a qualitative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 25 parents of children with Down syndrome aged 4-12 years. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified two themes concerned with the parents' practice. The first, 'Supporting our child', describes how the parents perceived their child as a valuable human being and how this perception founded parents' support of the child's development and social interactions. The second, 'Managing our family life', demonstrates how the parents acted to manage a family life that had become the 'new normal' including being alert toward the child, shaping the practical and logistical framework of daily life, and balancing between being at home and away from home. Overall, the analysis presents an everyday practice aimed at a desirable future for the child with Down syndrome and at a management of everyday life on the family's own terms. In conclusion, this study provides specific knowledge on parents' everyday practice, which may inform genetic counseling about Down syndrome and be of value to service providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Hollands Steffensen
- Center for Fetal Diagnostics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lena Have Rosvig
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Horsens Regional Hospital, Horsens, Denmark
| | - Stephanie Santoro
- Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lars Henning Pedersen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ida Vogel
- Center for Fetal Diagnostics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Stina Lou
- Center for Fetal Diagnostics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Defactum - Public Health & Health Services Research, Aarhus, Denmark
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