Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are among the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders with an incidence of approximately 1 in 110 individuals, and are characterized by impairments in communication, reciprocal social interaction, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. For parents, receiving an ASD diagnosis in a child can be a distressing experience that can significantly affect coping and adaptation. Recent studies have demonstrated that the recurrence risk for siblings may be a high as 25%, suggesting that multiplex families may be much more common than originally believed. To date there is limited research focused on multiplex families, and in particular there has been no exploration of the emotional impact of receiving an ASD diagnosis in more than one child. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic and lifestyle experiences of multiplex ASD families through qualitative interviews with seven parents.\r In concordance with previous literature, parents in this study reported feelings of confusion leading up to and during receipt of an ASD diagnosis and encounter cyclic re-emergence of worry and grief following a diagnosis. The parents we interviewed told us that although they were familiar with ASDs, they still did not feel prepared when faced with the possibility of a second ASD diagnosis. Additionally, they did not feel that medical professionals took their concerns about their second or third child seriously, despite the fact that one or more children in the family had already been diagnosed. Finally, parents of multiplex families reported that having more than one child with an ASD creates additive emotional and lifestyle challenges and believe that they experience increased feelings of isolation and stress due to a "laser-beam" focus on autism. Results from this study help to reinforce areas in which clinical professionals can provide additional support to parents of multiplex families surrounding an ASD diagnosis.