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Lee, Hong, and Ju: Development of a Scale to Measure Life Transition Process in Parents of Children with Autism
Original Article
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2012; 42(6): 861-869.

Published online: 31 December 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2012.42.6.861

Development of a Scale to Measure Life Transition Process in Parents of Children with Autism

Ae Ran Lee1, Sun Woo Hong2, Se Jin Ju3

1Department of Nursing, Wonkwang Health Science University, Iksan, Korea.

2Department of Emergency Medical Technology, Daejeon University, Daejeon, Korea.

3Department of Nursing, Namseoul University, Cheonan, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Hong, Sun Woo. Department of Emergency Medical Technology, Daejeon University, 62 Daehak-ro, Dong-gu, Daejeon 300-716, Korea. Tel: +82-42-280-2938, Fax: +82-42-280-2946, swhong@dju.kr

Received 17 April 2012       Accepted 15 November 2012

© 2012 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to develop a scale to measure the life transition process of parents of children with autism, against the backdrop of a lack of research on this topic.

Methods

Seventy preliminary items were drawn from previous qualitative research, and content validity was tested by three professors as well as three parents of children with autism. A questionnaire survey was also done between August 2011 and February 2012. Data were collected from 207 parents of children with autism and analyzed using descriptive statistics, item analysis, Cronbach's alpha, Pearson correlation coefficients, and factor analysis with the SPSS Win 15.0 program.

Results

Twenty-nine items were selected to constitute the appropriate measuring scale and categorized into 5 factors explaining 63.2% of the total variance. The 5 factors were named; stages of denial (5 items), wandering (6 items), devotion (7 items), frustration (3 items), and finally acceptance (8 items). Cronbach's alpha for the 29 items was .80.

Conclusion

The results of this study not only suggest assessment criteria for the life transition process of parents who have children with autism but also provide basic directions for program development to provide differentiated support and care at each stage.

Keywords: Autistic disorder, Parents, Transition, Scale

Figures and Tables

Table 1
General Characteristics of Autistic Children and Parents (N=207)
jkan-42-861-i001
Table 2
Factor Analysis of Final Items (N=207)
jkan-42-861-i002

Keiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO)=.93; Bartlett's test of sphericity: χ2=3307.77; p<.001; Cronbach's α=.80.

Table 3
Correlation of Transitional Process and Depression (N=207)
jkan-42-861-i003

**p<.001.

Notes

This study was financially supported by the research fund of Wonkwang Health Science University in 2011.

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