Parent Perspectives on Assisted Communication and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Communication Sciences

Background:

• Parents of nonspeaking children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face unique communication challenges.
• The firsthand experiences of parents utilizing assisted communication (AC) with their children with ASD remain underexplored in existing literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the lived experiences of parents whose children with ASD use assisted communication (AC).
• To understand the impact of AC on the parent-child relationship and family dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semistructured interviews with ten parents of individuals with ASD (aged 15-36) who use AC.
• Analyzed interview data to identify emergent themes and patterns in parental experiences.

Main Results:

• Four superordinate themes emerged: Relationship, Future, Support, and Understanding.
• AC use improved parent-child relationships and deepened parents' understanding of their child.
• Parents reported enhanced future planning capabilities and expressed a need for greater professional support and consensus on AC.

Conclusions:

• Assisted communication (AC) positively impacts the parent-child relationship for children with ASD.
• AC facilitates improved understanding and future planning for children with communication impairments.
• Occupational therapy interventions should consider AC programs to support these families.