title: How Families Make Sense of Their Child's Behaviour When on an Autism Assessment and Diagnosis Waiting List.
abstract: Families waiting for an Autism Spectrum Condition assessment often experience difficulties explaining, or making sense of, the referred young person's behaviour. Little is known about this sense making, or how clinicians might support this ambiguity. This paper explored finite details of how five families do 'sense-making' in conversations with each other, while on the waiting list for an ASC assessment. A Discursive Psychology analysis of these conversations found that sense making was affected by (1) an interactional pattern of interruptions impeding the progress of sense making narratives; (2) face saving to maintain positive identities and shared understanding; and (3) difficulties in word finding within sense making narratives. These practices challenged the production of a coherent family sense making narrative.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology, Plymouth University, Rolle Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK. katie.denman@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1555-8539
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Denman
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology, Plymouth University, Rolle Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK.
authors.forename: Cordet
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smart
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology, Plymouth University, Rolle Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK.
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dallos
authors.affiliation: Virgin Care Children's Integrated Services, Lescaze Offices, Shinners Bridge, Dartington, Devon, TQ9 6JE, UK.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levett
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D032882:Comprehension; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012944:Social Support; D014850:Waiting Lists
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Discourse analysis; Face saving; Family; Sense-making; Systemic