The investigation of environmental specifics of an autistic child’s family system

¹ Southern Federal University, Academy of psychology and pedagogy, 344006 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
² Don state technical university, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychophysiology, 344000 Rostov-on-Don, Russia.

^* Corresponding author: ozta@mail.ru

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the actual nowadays problem of environmental specifics of an autistic child’s family system. The relevance of the chosen theme is grounded in the paper. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of of related to the problem fundamental theoretical concepts of Russian and translated authors. The paper also presents the outcomes of empirical research and displays statistically significant distinction between psychological indicators of the environment of autistic children’s families and those of families with ordinary children according to such parameters as: roles, rules, control, cooperation, discipline, acceptance/rejection, emotional bond. Considerable distinction between the type of family cohesion and the type of family adaptation of an autistic child’s family system in comparison to the family system of an ordinary child is described. Statistical reliability of correlation between an autistic child’s and an ordinary child’s family system and characteristics of the type of the family (dysfunctional, semifunctional, functional) is analyzed. The paper provides the analysis of distinction between the level of marriage satisfaction in autistic child’s families and in ordinary child’s families.