Hindsight is a wonderful thing’: An exploration of how mothers make sense of their experiences of their daughters’ early development and behaviours preceding a diagnosis of autism in later childhood

Little, Winifred 2022. Hindsight is a wonderful thing’: An exploration of how mothers make sense of their experiences of their daughters’ early development and behaviours preceding a diagnosis of autism in later childhood. DEdPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

As research identifying a ‘missing’ population of autistic girls and women is gathering momentum, it is now being recognised that cognitively able girls with autism are diagnosed later in childhood or as adults and the number of girls with autism is significantly underestimated (Hendrikx, 2015; Happe, 2018). There is limited research on the experiences of mothers raising a daughter before there was any consideration that she was autistic. This research aims to provide a greater understanding of the experiences of mothers. Six mothers of cognitively able daughters with autism took part in semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data. Three superordinate themes emerged: ‘Mum’s unconditional love,’ ‘Who is my daughter?’ and ‘An unexpected destination.’ This study enhances existing knowledge including, the contribution of the early experiences directly related to being a mother raising a daughter who is diagnosed with autism later in childhood and additionally heightens insight into how girls with autism present. Key findings which add to the literature on this under-researched topic are described and implications are discussed with particular reference to understanding of the under-identifications of autism in girls from the mother’s perspective and implications of the role of professionals to facilitate optimal outcomes for mothers of cognitively able girls who are diagnosed with autism in later childhood. Underpinning these recommendations is an emphasis on the significance of listening to and hearing the voice of parents who know their daughters best and have something important to say. “I just think people’s eyes need opening and that people need to listen. Nobody knows a child better than their parent”. (Vroni, research participant)

Item Type:	Thesis (DEdPsy)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	10 August 2022
Last Modified:	11 Mar 2023 02:21
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/151865

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