Attribution of child's disease causes among parents raising children with autism spectrum disorders: psychological peculiarities and intrafamily interaction
https://doi.org/10.24884/2219-8245-2026-18-2-23-35
Abstract
Research objective: This work presents the results of the study of attribution of the causes of the disease in a child among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its relationships with the psychoemotional state of parents and the nature of child-parent relations. Materials and methods: In the study using the Alabama questionnaire of parenting practices (APQ-PR) and psychodiagnostic methods of assessing the attitude to the child's disease and family anxiety, 30 people who are a parent of a child with ASD participated. Results: A significant relationship between the type of attribution mechanism and the psychoemotional characteristics of parents of children with ASD was shown. A positive correlation was established between internalized attribution, increased anxiety levels, and negative subjective states in parents. The study was conducted as part of the state assignment No. 075-03-2024-570/2 dated May 22, 2024.
About the Authors
S. E. StrogovaRussian Federation
Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Senior Researcher at the Department of Interdisciplinary Research on Child Health and Development
Moscow
Researcher ID: Q-4524-2018
Scopus ID: 57193738720
A. V. Penyavskaya
Russian Federation
Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Senior Lecturer
Tomsk
Scopus ID:57219962711,
N. N. Minaeva
Russian Federation
Student
Tomsk
A. S. Runova
Russian Federation
Student
Tomsk
A. G. Peshkovskaya
Russian Federation
Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Head of the Department of Interdisciplinary Research on Children's Health and Development
Moscow
Researcher ID: R-4624-2016
Scopus ID: 56807050700
References
1. The official website of the World Health Organization. Autism. Available at: https://www.who.int/ru/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/autism-spectrum-disorders (accessed 12 February 2026).
2. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html (accessed 12 February 2026).
3. Kukanov A.A. Characteristics of the Emotional and Personal Sphere of Mothers with Children with ASD. Uchenye Zapiski Universiteta imeni P. F. Lesgafta. 2016;(8):268-273. (in Russian).
4. Mercadante M.T., Van der Gaag R.J., Schwartzman J.S. Non-autistic Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Rett’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. Rev Bras Psiquiatr. São Paulo: Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria. 2006; 28(1):12-20. doi: 10.1590/s1516-44462006000500003
5. Pleshkova N.L., Tatenko O.V., Sevryugin D.V. Features of Parent-Child Interaction and Behavioral Characteristics in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta. Psihologiya. 2021; 11(2): 162–178. (in Russian). doi:10.21638/spbu16.2021.204
6. Volkmar F. R., Vajzner L. A. Autizm: Prakticheskoe rukovodstvo dlya roditelej, chlenov sem'i i uchitelej. Kn. 1. Ekaterinburg: Rama Pablishing, 2014. (in Russian).
7. Morozova V.I. Features of child-parent relations in families raising preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders. Mezhdunarodnyj studencheskij nauchnyj vestnik. 2015;(3):38-46. (in Russian).
8. Shaygerova L.A., Bukinich A.M., Dolgikh A.G., Batysheva T.T. Psychological well-being and resources of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder in the situation of forced migration. Rossijskij psihologicheskij zhurnal. 2024;21(3):52-72. (in Russian). doi: 10.21702/rpj.2024.3.4
9. Zolotova I.A. Social adaptation and coping behavior of women in the early postpartum period when a child is born with a disease. Lichnost' v menyayushchemsya mire: zdorov'e, adaptaciya, razvitie. 2025;13;4(51):416-429. (in Russian). doi: 10.23888/humJ2025134416-429
10. Kostina I.A. Konsul'tirovanie roditelej detej s autizmom. V kn.: Detskij autizm: issledovaniya i praktika, M.: Izd-vo Instituta psihologii RAN. 2008. (in Russian).
11. Kuzmina A.S., Stoyanova I.Ya., Krivoshey K.O. Psychological Resources of Mothers Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autizm i narusheniya razvitiya. 2024; 22(4): 21–30. (in Russian). doi: 10.17759/autdd.2024220403
12. Haisley L.D. Parenting Stress in Parents of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Child Characteristics and Social Support: dis. Candidate of Psychology. University of Connecticut Graduate School. 2014. 83-85.
13. Pakhomova E.A., Nasledov A.D., Tkacheva L.O. Age-Related Changes in Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children Aged 3–9 Years: Experience with the Autism Scale. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta. Psihologiya. 2024;14(2):305–319. (in Russian). doi: 10.21638/spbu16.2024.207
14. Tkachenko N.S., Babaeva A.A. The style of family upbringing of parents raising children with ASD, depending on the type of emotional response of parents to the child's illness. Zametki uchenogo. 2022;(1):188-194. (in Russian). doi: 10.25136/2409-8701.2024.2.43408
15. Shabanova E.V. Intrafamilial Functioning and Psychological Protections of Parents Raising a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta, Seriya: Sociologiya. 2014;(4):51-57. (in Russian).
16. Solovyova N.A., Kuznetsova O.A. Comprehensive assistance to children with autism spectrum disorder and their families: theoretical and applied aspects. Vestnik psihosocial'noj i korrekcionno-pedagogicheskoj raboty. 2023; 25(3):82-94. (in Russian).
17. Donelly L.J. Parent-child Interaction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Who Vary in Symptom Severity and Level of Functioning: dis. Doctor of Philosophy. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University. 2015. 246-249.
18. Dyakova E.V. Features of relationships in families raising preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders. Molodoj uchenyj. 2015; 15(95):543-547. (in Russian).
19. Grinspen S., Uider S. Na ty s autizmom. Ispol'zovanie metodiki Floortime dlya razvitiya otnoshenij, obshcheniya i myshleniya. M.: Terevinf. 2020. (in Russian).
20. Vasilyuk F.E. Psihologiya perezhivaniya. M.: Izd-vo MGU. 1984. (in Russian).
21. Alikin I.A., Lukyanchenko N.V. Normative Dynamics of Parental Attitude in Modern Society: Age and Gender Aspects. Vestnik KGPU im. V.P. Astafyeva. 2012; 4(22):228-234. (in Russian).
22. Kuzenkova L.M., Lashkova A.V., Kol'cova A.V., Dyukareva Yu.G. Rekomendacii dlya roditelej detej s rasstrojstvami autisticheskogo spektra. M.: Poligrafist i izdatel'. 2020. (in Russian).
23. Loncarevic A., Maybery M.T., Barbaro J., Dissanayake C., Green J., Hudry K., Iacono T., Slonims V., Varcin K.J., Wan M.W., Wray J., Whitehouse A.JO. Parent-Child Interactions May Help to Explain Relations Between Parent Characteristics and Clinically Observed Child Autistic Behaviours. J Autism Dev Disord. 2024;54(7):2742-2756. doi: 10.1007/s10803-023-05914-x
24. Meirsschaut M., Roeyers H., Warreyn P. Parenting in families with a child with autism spectrum disorder and a typically developing child: Mother’s experiences and cognitions. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorder. 2010; 4(4):661-669. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2010.01.002
25. Kramar E.S. Resilience and coping strategies of parents of children with autism and parents of children with normal development. Uchenye zapiski Krymskogo inzhenerno-pedagogicheskogo universiteta, Seriya: Pedagogika. Psihologiya. 2016. No. 2(4):111-117. (in Russian).
26. Chaika Yu.A., Baranov M.L. Analysis of current trends and risk factors of mental disorders in children and adolescents. Vestnik nevrologii, psihiatrii i nejrohirurgii. 2025;18. 8(187):1079-1088. (in Russian). doi: 10.33920/med-01-2508-06
27. Gornushenkov I.D., Koval-Zaitsev A.A., Barkhatova A.N., Chaika Yu.A. Neurocognitive functions of voluntary regulation in adolescents with high-functioning forms of autistic disorders: clinical picture, differential diagnosis, rehabilitation (literature review). Voprosy psihicheskogo zdorov'ya detej i podrostkov. 2025;25(2):90-97. (in Russian).
28. Nesterova A.A., Kovalevskaya N.A. Vitality and Coping Strategies of Mothers Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Vestnik MGOU, Seriya: Psihologicheskie nauki. 2015;(3):38-46. (in Russian). doi: 10.18384/2310-7235-2015-3-38-46
29. Bogacheva O.I., Ivanov M.V., Balakireva E.E., Koval-Zaitsev A.A., Kulikov A.V., Nikitina S.G., Shalina N.S. The structure of parental attitude to the illness of a child with autism spectrum disorder. Vestnik psihoterapii. 2023;(87):49-59. (in Russian). doi: 10.25016/2782-652X-2023-0-87-49-59
30. Kalinina M.A., Balakireva E.E., Kozlovskaya G.V., Nikitina S.G., Blinova T.E., Shushpanova O.V., Golubeva N.I., Ivanov M.V., Margolina I.A., Platonova N.V., Kulikov A.V., Koval-Zaitsev A.A., Shalina N.S. Childhood autism - historical aspects and new perspectives. Voprosy psihicheskogo zdorov'ya detej i podrostkov. (in Russian). 2023; 23(3): 94-107.
31. Chaika Yu.A., Baranov M.L. Digital Reality: Impact on the Mental Health of Young People. Zhurnal nevrologii i psihiatrii im. S.S. Korsakova. 2025;124(10):12-17. (in Russian). doi:10.17116/jnevro202512510112
32. Zolotova I.A., Khazova S.A. Features of dyadic relations in the mother–child system at the stage of accepting the role of a mother as a risk factor for the dysontogenesis of early-age children. Klinicheskaya i special'naya psihologiya. 2025;14(2):39–54. (in Russian). doi:10.17759/cpse.2025140203
33. Ivanov M.V., Bogacheva O.I., Barkhatova A.N., Chaika Yu.A. Psychoeducational work with the family of a child with a mental disorder in the system of complex psychiatric care. Poznanie i perezhivanie. 2025;6(1):65-75. (in Russian). doi: 10.51217/cogexp_2025_06_01_05
34. Chaika Yu.A., Baranov M.L. Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Students and Modern Approaches to Their Prevention. Obozrenie psihiatrii i medicinskoj psihologii imeni V.M.Bekhtereva. 2025; 59(3): 25-39. (in Russian). doi: 10.31363/2313-7053-2025-3-1086
35. Nugaeva O.G., Trufanova G.K., Asmus E.O. Rabota psihologa s sem'yami, imeyushchimi detej s rasstrojstvami autisticheskogo spektra: uchebno-metodicheskoe posobie. Ural'skij gosudarstvennyj pedagogicheskij universitet, Ekaterinburg: b/i, 2022. (in Russian).
36. Morozov S.A., Morozova S.S., Morozova T.I. Research on Parents' Attitude to the Developmental Characteristics of Their Children with Autism. Autizm i narusheniya razvitiya. 2021;4(73):32-39. (in Russian). doi: 10.17759/autdd.2021190404
Review
For citations:
Strogova S.E., Penyavskaya A.V., Minaeva N.N., Runova A.S., Peshkovskaya A.G. Attribution of child's disease causes among parents raising children with autism spectrum disorders: psychological peculiarities and intrafamily interaction. Medical Psychology in Russia. 2026;18(2):22-34. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24884/2219-8245-2026-18-2-23-35
JATS XML










