自閉症スペクトラム障害児の母親の診断告知に伴う感情体験

概要

論文の詳細を見る
Background:Early diagnosis of developmental disorders can result in early intervention. Nonetheless,it is difficult to confirm the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to the diverse range of conditions. The aim of this study was to understand how families of children with ASD are notified of the diagnosis and to clarify the emotional experience of mothers regarding the diagnostic process. Method: Mothers of ASD Children(n=40; 36 boys and 4 girls; mean age 14.8 years) completed questionnaires about the diagnostic process. Results: The mean age at which the diagnosis was confirmed was 4 years and 6 months. Mothers felt"anxious","expectant or hopeful,""had misgivings,""felt isolated,""made self-accusation,"and "were prepared," prior to notification of the diagnosis. The emotion when notified was "shock"and"positive frame of mind." The satisfaction with the diagnostic process was related to the support being given on multiple occasions, and the agreement with the diagnostic process was related to the length of time taken to obtain the final diagnosis. Conclusions: The emotional experience of mothers regarding the notification varied according to when the notification was given, how it was given, and the support following the notification. Practical imprecations of the results are discussed.
2010-03-31