Date of Award

5-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College/School

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department/Program

Psychology

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Yingying Yang

Committee Member

Peter Vietze

Committee Member

Laura Lakusta

Abstract

The current study examines how children with Autism Spectrum Disorder’s symptom behaviors, enacted stigma, and race influences their parents’ experiences with stress. 50 parents and guardians of children with ASD completed an online survey with 93-items composed of four sections: (1) demographic data, (2) symptom behaviors experienced by their child, (3) enacted stigma, and (4) parental stress. The purpose of the current study was to (a) evaluate the differences of ASD symptom behaviors, enacted stigma, and parental stress between minority and non-minority racial groups, and (b) examine whether the symptom behaviors and enacted stigma of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder influence the parental stress experienced by their mothers/fathers. The current study found that there was no significant difference in parents’ reports of the symptom behaviors experienced by their children, enacted stigma, and parental stress among parents with non-minority and minority children. The current study also found that although child’s race was not a significant predictor of parental stress, the child symptom behaviors and enacted stigma were both significant predictors of parental stress.

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