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Exploring Experiences of Stigma in Parents of Children with Autism

Ransley, Rachel; (2020) Exploring Experiences of Stigma in Parents of Children with Autism. Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London). Green open access

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Abstract

Aims This study aimed to develop a theoretical model to understand how parents of children with autism manage and respond to stigma they may experience. Method Twelve parents of children with a diagnosis of autism, aged 10 and under, completed semi-structured interviews about their experiences of stigma and how they respond to stigmatising encounters. A constructivist grounded theory approach was taken to examine parents’ narratives and develop theoretical codes. Results A theoretical model is proposed to understand how parents of children with autism manage and respond to stigma. Two variables are highlighted in this model - parents’ responses were dependent on who the stigmatiser was and who was being stigmatised. Four core responses to stigma were identified: 'actively ignoring,' 'actively withdrawing,' 'avoiding' and 'challenging.' Parents’ narratives illustrated the context those responses would be used in. Conclusions Whilst the results show the on-going challenges that parents of children with autism face, they also illustrate the skills and resilience such parents have often developed to manage stigma.

Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Qualification: D.Clin.Psy
Title: Exploring Experiences of Stigma in Parents of Children with Autism
Event: UCL (University College London)
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Language: English
Additional information: Copyright © The Author 2020. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10111612
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