Challenges faced by families in coping with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i3.50738Keywords:
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Family, Parental Stress, Public Policies, Inclusion.Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects not only the child’s development but also family dynamics. This study aimed to analyze, through a qualitative bibliographic approach, the main challenges faced by families of individuals with ASD. Scientific publications and official documents addressing the emotional impacts of diagnosis, barriers to access health and educational services, and coping strategies adopted by families were examined. The findings indicate that the diagnosis triggers emotional and structural reorganization within the family, often associated with caregiver burden. Despite regulatory advances, difficulties remain regarding the effective implementation of public policies and the articulation between services. It is concluded that strengthening support networks, improving professional training, and expanding access to specialized services are essential measures to reduce the social and emotional impacts associated with ASD.
References
AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013.
Abreu, A. et al. (2016). Treinamento de pais e autismo: uma revisão de literatura. Ciências & Cognição, 21(1), 2016.
Barros, A. A. T. S. et al. (2022). Dificuldades enfrentadas pelos pais no tratamento de crianças com transtorno do espectro autista. Research, Society and Development, 11(9), e11411931568-e11411931568, 2022.
Bereda, G. (2023). Features and Clinical Manifestations of Autism Spectrum Disorder. J. J. Biomedical Research and Clinical Reviews, 8(1), 2023.
BRASIL, Ministério da Saúde. (2014). Diretrizes de atenção à reabilitação da Pessoa com Transtornos do Espectro do Autismo (TEA). Editora do Ministério da Saúde, 2014.
Farias, J. V. A. et al. (2023). Transtorno do Espectro Autista infantil e os desafios familiares: revisão integrativa de literatura. Diversitas Journal, 8(1), 2023.
Fakhoury, M. (2015). Autistic spectrum disorders: A review of clinical features, theories and diagnosis. International journal of developmental neuroscience, 43, 70-77, 2015.
Fenandes, J. M. B., Vieira, L. T. & Castelhano, M. V. C. (2023). Revisão narrativa enquanto metodologia científica significativa: reflexões técnico-formativas. Redes – Revista Educacional da Sucesso. 3(1), 1-7. ISSN: 2763-6704.
Ferreira, M. S. A. (2023). Estresse parental em familiares de crianças diagnosticadas com transtorno do espectro autista (TEA). 2023.
Gomes, R. S.; Comper, C. O. S.; & Perpétuo, C. L. (2017). O autismo infantil no período da infância. EDUCERE- revista da educação, 17(2), 263-272, 2017.
Lenker, K. P. et al. (2025). Autism Spectrum Disorder Phenotypes Based on Sleep Dimensions and Core Autism Symptoms. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, p. 1-13, 2025.
Lima, A. P.; Pessoa, C. C.; & Silva, M. P. A (2022). Família da Criança com o Transtorno Espectro Autista (TEA). Id on Line Rev. Psic. 16(60), 15-27, Maio/2022 - Multidisciplinar. ISSN 1981-1179 Edição eletrônica em http://idonline.emnuvens.com.br/id. DOI: 10.14295/idonline.v16i60.3421
Loureto, G. D. L. & Moreno, S. I. R. (2016). As relações fraternas no contexto do autismo: um estudo descritivo. Revista Psicopedagogia, 33(102), 307-318, 2016.
Ni’matuzahroh, S. M. W et al. (2021). The Association between Parenting Stress, Positive Reappraisal Coping, and Quality of Life in Parents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Children: A Systematic Review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 10(1), 52 [em linha]. 2021.
Pereira, A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. [Free ebook]. Santa Maria. Editora da UFSM.
Pimenta, P. R. (2019). Clínica e escolarização dos alunos com transtorno do espectro autista (TEA). Educação & Realidade, 44, e84859, 2019.
Rezq, K. A.; Albalawi, H. M. H.; & Alharbi, H. F. (2025). Exploring Social Support and Quality of Life Among Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study. In: Healthcare. MDPI, 2025. p. 95.
Risemberg, R. I. C. et al. (2026). A importância da metodologia científica no desenvolvimento de artigos científicos. E-Acadêmica, 7(1), e0171675. https://eacademica.org/eacademica/article/view/675.
Rodrigues, M. S. (2022). Relação entre o estresse, fatores de personalidade e apoio social: um estudo comparativo entre pais de crianças e jovens com transtorno do espectroautista. Marianna Santos Rodrigues - Vitória da Conquista, 2022. 197 f.: il. Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, 2022
Santos, A. A. D. et al. (2020). O olhar da família e da escola para a criança com Transtorno do Espectro Autista-TEA. Revista Liberum Accessum, 2(2), 1-15, 2020.
Santos, J. S. L. C.; Santos, B. C.; & Bispo, A. J. B. (2025). Aspectos clínicos e epidemiológicos do transtorno do espectro autista em crianças: um panorama mundial. Revista JRG de Estudos Acadêmicos, 8(19), e082076-e082076, 2025.
Sartor, T. et al. (2023). Coping resources and stress due to demands in parents to children with autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 4, 1240977, 2023.
Schmidt, C. (2017). Transtorno do Espectro autista: onde estamos e para onde vamos. Psicologia em Estudo, 22(2), 221-230, 2017.
Silva, G. B. et al. (2023). Transtorno do Espectro Autista: indivíduos e sua família. Diaphora, 12(1), 24-29, 2023.
Tinoco, V. C. et al. (2022). Estresse em mães com filhos diagnosticados com Autismo. Revista Psicologia e Saúde, 14(4), 35-42, 2022.
Vernhet, C. et al. (2019). Coping strategies of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 28(6), 747-758, 2019.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Vanessa Chambella Lopes, Camilla Viana de Souza Andrade
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
