Understanding parents' experiences of supporting their autistic daughters

Abstract

Background: Researchers' awareness of the under-recognition and under-diagnosis of autistic girls has progressed considerably in recent years. Research has sought to explain the differences in the presentation and experiences of autistic girls and provide recommendations for support. Parents of autistic girls play a key role in identifying and supporting their daughters. Within the current literature, there is an under-representation of research exploring parents' experiences of supporting their autistic daughters, and more specifically, when working with Educational Psychologists to support their daughters. Methods: Paper One, a systematic literature review investigated parents' experiences of supporting their autistic daughters and eight studies were selected for review and synthesised. Paper Two, an empirical study, utilised a single-embedded case study design and semi-structured interviews to explore five parents' experiences of working with Educational Psychologists to support their autistic daughters. Findings: The findings from the systematic literature review identified several themes pertaining to parents' experiences of supporting their autistic daughters' needs, several of which have direct implications for helping professionals working in practice to support the families of autistic girls. The empirical paper highlights factors that parents consider helpful, unhelpful, and areas of further development when working with Educational Psychologists to support their autistic daughters. Conclusions and implications: The findings of both papers are considered in line with current research and implications for Educational Psychology practice when working with parents of autistic girls. Paper Three summarises the implications of the research within wider professional practice, as well as outlining the dissemination strategy of the findings of Paper One and Paper Two.

Date of Award	6 Jan 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Caroline Bond (Supervisor) & George Thomas (Supervisor)