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Applying the Vulnerability Stress Adaptation Model of Marriage to Couples Raising an Autistic Child: A Call for Research on Adaptive Processes

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Abstract

Parents of children on the autism spectrum are particularly susceptible to strain in their romantic relationships due to unique risk factors. While some relationships deteriorate, however, others endure and thrive. The Vulnerability Stress Adaptation (VSA) Model of Marriage (Karney & Bradbury, 1995; Fig. 1) offers a framework to explain, not only poor marital outcomes, but also the process by which degradation of relationships occurs over time. The VSA Model posits that a combination of internal (within-person) vulnerabilities and external stressors influence relationship quality and, in turn, stability, by affecting couples’ abilities to collaborate to adapt to stressors and solve problems (i.e., adaptive processes). With robust theoretical grounding, this review comprehensively summarizes and integrates literature pertaining to the romantic relationships of couples raising an autistic child through the lens of the VSA Model. Vulnerabilities, stressors, and adaptive processes relevant to these couples are identified, and empirical evidence pertaining to the proposed pathways in the VSA Model is explored. The body of research reviewed provides support for many of the proposed pathways in the VSA Model, especially related to certain stressors (i.e., child behavior problems) and vulnerabilities (i.e., parent depression), yet it falls short in exploring mechanisms by which these factors beget marital dysfunction (i.e., through adaptive processes). Additional gaps and methodological limitations in the literature are highlighted, and recommendations for future research are provided.

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Notes

  1. The way autism is talked about evolves over time. A combination of identity-first language (i.e., autistic child) and "on the autism spectrum" are used throughout this paper in accordance with the erminology preferences currently expressed by the community and a recent set of recommendations for removing ableist languge from autism research (Bottema-Beutel et al., 2020; Kenny et al., 2016). In this paper, both terms refer to a child with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

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Acknowledgements

This paper was originally prepared by the first author as her Doctoral Qualifying Examination. She would like to thank her qualifying exam committee members including Dr. Alyson Gerdes and Dr. John Grych for their insightful feedback on an earlier iteration of the manuscript. The author is also grateful for the helpful suggestions, feedback, and support from Dr. Alana J. McVey on this paper.

Funding

The first author of this work would like to acknowledge the funding support of the Richard W. Jobling Distinguished Research Assistantship at Marquette University.

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Schiltz, H.K., Van Hecke, A.V. Applying the Vulnerability Stress Adaptation Model of Marriage to Couples Raising an Autistic Child: A Call for Research on Adaptive Processes. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 24, 120–140 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-020-00332-2

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