Building Online Support for Parents of Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This project aims to provide crucial and much needed knowledge in the area of "innovative social support resources" for parents of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. To accomplish this, an online parent peer support group, facilitated by experienced professionals, will be established. operated, and analyzed over a four month period, This expertly mediated network will serve as a forum through which parents can offer mutual support to one another via shared experience and knowledge in this domain. A variety of informative resources will also be provided on the network to enrich the environment of support and to stimulate further discussion. Successful or unsuccessful outcomes herein have the potential to provide a strong foundation through which social support resources of service providers in this milieu (including the Sinneave Family Foundation) could be meaningfully enhanced.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. David Nicholas

Student:

Carly McMorris

Partner:

Sinneave Family Foundation

Discipline:

Social work

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Calgary