Challenges, Strengths, and Joys of Autistic Parents: An Abductive Qualitative Content Analysis of Parent Interviews

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Thom-Jones, S., Brownlow, C., & Abel, S. (2025). Challenges, Strengths, and Joys of Autistic Parents: An Abductive Qualitative Content Analysis of Parent Interviews. Autism in Adulthood. https://doi.org/10.1177/25739581251385735

Publication date: 7 Oct 2025 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 3 (33.3%)
  1. Sandra Thom-Jones *
  2. Charlotte Brownlow
  3. Susan Abel

Abstract

Background: Research into the experiences of autistic parents is limited, with the majority of existing studies focusing on pregnancy, childbirth, and raising infants. We sought to capture the experiences of autistic parents across the journey from pregnancy to parenting adult children. Methods: We conducted semistructured online interviews with 92 autistic parents across all stages of the parenting journey. Participants were invited to share their reflections on the challenges and strengths of parenting as an autistic person. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, combining deductive and inductive coding. Results: Challenges external to the parent–child relationship were most frequently coded in the categories of “support” and “discrimination/stigma.” Challenges internal to the parent–child relationship were most frequently in the categories of “self-child balance” and “parental well-being.” When exploring parenting strengths, the most frequently coded categories were “empathy and understanding” and “parental joy.” Across all three focus areas, the majority of the most frequently occurring codes arose from the inductive coding and were not represented in the existing literature. Conclusion: The most significant challenges external to the parent–child relationship were lack of access to appropriate supports and provision of inappropriate supports, along with discrimination from professionals and service providers. The most commonly coded internal challenge was feelings of not being good enough or failing as a parent, likely reflecting the negative judgments experienced by many autistic people. Participants reported experiencing great joy in their parenting experience, and evidenced a range of strengths, including egalitarian parenting, open and honest communication, and insight and understanding.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
43
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
10 / 43 (23.3%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
26 / 212 (12.3%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 26 / 95 (27.4%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 18 / 184 (9.8%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
95 / 212 (44.8%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 69 / 184 (37.5%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
69 / 95 (72.6%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 69 / 212 (32.5%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 51 / 69 (73.9%).
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