Stronger Yet Stretched: Resilience and Stress in U.S. Families Raising Autistic Children

Raising a child with autism presents families with unique challenges and experiences, often characterized by heightened stress but also remarkable resilience. This study utilizes cross-sectional data from the 2022 and 2023 National Survey of Children's Health administered by the U.S. Census Bureau to examine levels of resilience and stress in U.S. families with and without a child diagnosed with autism. Tobit regression models, controlling for demographic, socio-economic, and social support factors, revealed that although families of autistic children experienced significantly higher stress, particularly in caregiving challenges, they also reported higher levels of resilience when accounting for stress compared with families of nonautistic children. Specifically, families raising a child with autism reported higher ratings of family communication, problem-solving, inner strength, and hope than families raising a child without autism. These findings challenge deficit-focused narratives, offering evidence of the adaptability and emotional growth present in households raising a child with autism.Lay AbstractRaising a child with autism presents families with unique challenges and strengths, often characterized by heightened stress but also remarkable resilience. This study looked at data from the 2022 and 2023 National Survey of Children's Health administered by the U.S. Census Bureau to examine the resilience and stress of U.S. families with and without a child diagnosed with autism. Statistical models revealed that although families of autistic children experience significantly higher stress, they also report higher levels of resilience compared with families of nonautistic children. Specifically, families raising a child with autism reported higher ratings of family communication, problem-solving, inner strength, and hope. These findings offer evidence of the adaptability and emotional growth present in households raising a child with autism.