Autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Part II: a qualitative comparison of parenting stress.

Background: Researchers investigating the impact of parenting children with disabilities suggest that regardless of the specific diagnosis, parents experience increased levels of stress. However, particular disabilities may be associated with distinct stressors and strains.

Method: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and parents of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) participated in in-depth qualitative interviews employing a basic interpretative approach.

Autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Part I: a comparison of parenting stress.

Background: There is a long history of research on parents of children with disabilities, but to the authors' knowledge, no study has compared the stress of parents of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Method: Twenty-five parents of children with ASD and 25 parents of children with FASD completed the Parenting Stress Index - Short Form (PSI-SF) and the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress - Friedrich's Version (QRS-F).

Results: Although both parent groups reported elevated stress, PSI-SF results indicated that parents of children with FASD were experiencing significantly more stress compared to parents of children with ASD.

The impact of parenting stress: a meta-analysis of studies comparing the experience of parenting stress in parents of children with and without autism spectrum disorder.

Researchers commonly report that families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience more parenting stress than families of typically developing (TD) children or those diagnosed with other disabilities [e.g., Down syndrome (DS), cerebral palsy, intellectual disability].