Talking About Autism Within the Family: Parents' Perspectives and Their Influence on Self-Efficacy

Open communication about autism within families is crucial to how autistic children understand themselves and develop their identity. This study explored how parents of autistic children navigate diagnostic disclosure, the language they use, and how these factors, along with support experiences and family characteristics, relate to parental self-efficacy.

A total of 137 parents of autistic children completed an online survey assessing disclosure practices, satisfaction with the disclosure process, sources of support, terminology used, and levels of parental self-efficacy. The current study used both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Quantitative findings show that over half of the parents personally disclosed their child's autism diagnosis, most using direct terms such as "autism" or "on the spectrum", and reported high satisfaction with the process. Although most received support during disclosure, only satisfaction with the process was significantly associated with higher parental self-efficacy. Regression analyses indicated that higher self-efficacy was associated with typical child language, use of direct diagnostic terms, and being a mother. Qualitative findings revealed three key themes: the need for emotional and practical support, varied approaches to discussing autism, and the emotional experiences parents face during the diagnostic journey.

Parents who engaged in open, direct conversations about autism and used identity-affirming language reported higher self-efficacy and perceived their children as having greater self-understanding and acceptance. These findings underscore the importance of equipping parents with guidance and appropriate language to foster inclusive and empowering family dialogue around autism.