| This doctoral project offers a qualitative focus on the resilience and coping strategies of Christian families raising a child with autism. A review of the literature revealed that this is an area that has been sorely neglected in the research and is predicted to have fundamental implications for professionals working with such families, particularly those educators working in private or Christian schools. To address the gap in the literature, a Survey Form to acquire preliminary data and a more detailed Questionnaire/Interview Form were developed to elicit information about this overlooked issue.;The Survey Form for Individual Christian Parents of a Child with Autism asks individual parents of a child with autism a set of yes/no questions that will help determine if their personal commitment to Christian beliefs impacts the way they view their child with autism and his or her future, particularly in regard to educational planning. Secondly, the follow-up Individual Questionnaire/Interview Form to Explore Coping Methods Utilized by Christian Parents of a Child with Autism, asking open-ended questions to probe the coping strategies used by the same individuals, is designed to be administered by a professional during an interview process.;This project designed the proposed two-part instrument which was then evaluated by a sample of Christian parents of children with autism and expert reviewers, representing potential end-users of the information. Their responses were reviewed, and revisions were made to the tool. The revised items are believed to be pertinent for gathering data from Christian parents to help address their concerns and needs and in developing relevant educational supports for their child with autism. The revised instrument may be further refined after future use in the field.;Ultimately, this tool may be used to acquire valuable information and insight and, when used in conjunction with other background information gathered by professionals working with Christian parents of a child with autism, provide data that is significant for educational planning and for developing caring, trusting relationships among families and professionals to support the children throughout their school lives. |
