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

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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.