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Autism Parents: 80% Divorce Rate

While long since debunked, I still hear the 80% number all the time.

Many people have heard this statistic as it has been cited frequently throughout cyberspace and beyond: “Parents of children with autism have an 80 percent divorce rate, much higher than that of the general population.” Although everyone seems to quote it, including the hit television show Parenthood (see the video below), this statistic has yet to be connected with any empirical evidence. In fact, a study last year “revealed no evidence to suggest that children with ASD are at an increased risk for living in a household not comprised of their two biological or adoptive parents.” According to the study, 65 percent of typically developing children lived in a two-parent household, compared to 64 percent of children with an ASD. - http://www.autism-society.org/blog/study-shows-a-diagnosis-of.html Tweet This Post

The Autism Retort

The Autism Retort (Drudge style) has been relaunched.  The Autism Retort blog / blog roll site will continue to function here.  Please bookmark and pass along the new site. Tweet This Post

Autism Parents 80% Divorce Stat Debunked

Glad to see that someone took the time to actually study this issue.  I tried in vain to find the source of the 80% number and could never find.  It always bugged me that we know divorce statistics on all kinds of other issues (different religion, lived together before marriage, etc), but the one about parents with children who have autism seemed to be pulled from a magic hat.

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Autism and Divorce Revisited …

Autistic Children and the Strain on Marriage

Unfortunately, in modern times, many marriages end in divorce or separation. This statistic rises even higher when you mix in an autistic child. No matter how loving and understanding you both may be towards your child, the truth is that autism is a very difficult matter, and strain on the marriage is not uncommon. By trying to stay positive about your situation, and by working to keep your marriage healthy, you and your spouse can avoid marital problems and hopefully survive the trying times of raising an autistic child.

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Autism: Made in the U.S.A. Trailer (Video)

Related:

Autism: Made in the U.S.A. Movie Homepage

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150 Strollers in Central Park

Very creative representation of the 1 in 150 kids diagnosed with Autism.  This stunt was staged in New York’s Central Park yesterday to raise awareness on Autism World Awareness Day (AWAD).  I see that the 80% divorce rate stat makes an appearance in this article.

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85% Divorce Rate of Autism Parents / Autism Abuse and Murder

A lot of you probably saw the story this week on 13 year old, Jacob Grabe, who had autism and was killed by his dad in September.  (Autism’s terrible toll: Parents risk hitting “a breaking point”)

The article talks about parents reaching their breaking point and killing their child.  These stories are not new and very sad to say the least.  I must say that I am more than a little shocked at the number of cases where this has happened.  I’ve seen a lot of stories on the “safe haven” laws around the country where parents can drop kids off at a hospital, police station, etc.  While these laws are intended to stop newborns from being killed and dumped, I wonder what these laws have to say about special needs children.  I know there has been a lot of talk related to age limits after the mess created in Nebraska, but age probably should not be a factor if special needs are involved.   Drop me a line if you have any information on this topic.

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Weigh in on Divorce and Autism (47FE)

Divorce is more common in families impacted by autism spectrum disorder and other special needs. Tweet This Post