Date

7-22-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Lisa DeForest

Keywords

autism, trauma-informed care, parents, ASD, protective factors, special needs, resilience, autism spectrum disorder, mental-health, post-traumatic stress disorder, parental burnout

Disciplines

Public Health

Abstract

The purpose of this current phenomenological study is to understand the experience of parents with autistic children and their lack of trauma-informed care from direct care providers in Northern Utah. This study is guided by trauma-informed theory, which is a model of care delivery created by Maxine Harris and Roger D. Fallot (2001). Trauma-informed care recognizes how adverse experiences can impact a person and have a negative impact on the health and well-being of that person and how those negative experiences have a direct impact on the health and well-being of the family, which directly impacts the health and well-being of society. Trauma-informed care practices look for the risk factors and symptoms of mental illness and trauma to that protective and preventive interventions can be provided. Parents of autistic children have high rates of mental illness and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Integrating support and care for these parents helps the parents maintain better health and become more resilient so they can protect and care for their children. Parents of autistic children will be interviewed so they can describe their experience with direct care providers.

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