Affiliation:
1. Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
2. Department of Psychology, Counselling, and Therapy, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia
Abstract
Few studies have explored the mental health of Autistic working parents, despite mental health being a research priority for Autistic people. This scoping review aimed to assess the type and extent of evidence relating to the mental health of Autistic working parents. Utilising the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews, a total of 9,486 records were screened, with 12 studies included. Data were charted using a data extraction template. Data extracted for each source study included: title, year of publication, author(s), country/region of origin, aim(s), population/sample size, proportion of Autistic working parents in study population, sex and/or gender of Autistic participants, method, mental health measures, and findings. The review identified that more research is needed to establish if the intersection of being Autistic, employed, and a parent (including parenting neurodivergent children) leads to differences in mental health in Autistic working parents compared to other populations and to determine if tailored supports are required for Autistic working parents.