• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.227-252
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• 2015

This study conducted in-depth interviews of seven parents with autistic adults and analyzed them using qualitative case study methods in order to understand overall meaning of care experiences of parents with autistic adult children. Thus, four key topics which are 'experience of embracement', 'experience of anticipation', 'experience of despair', 'experience of resistance' were constructed. Under these key topics, 12 subcategories which are 'accepting reality', 'positive experience', 'gradual improvement', 'desire to provide better quality of life', 'expectation towards the society', 'strenuous lives', 'psychological exhaustion', 'predicted anxiety', 'defensive attitude', 'distrust of social welfare', 'confronting injustice', 'active behaviors' were constructed. According to the analysis, care experiences of parents with autistic adults are not segmentary, but they are intertwined which make them more dynamic. Thus, easing their despair, empowering positiveness to them, and assisting them to have healthy resistant voice are needed to support the parents with autistic adults. Based on the analysis, we suggest an intervention plan to support autistic adults and their parents.