Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41546809›Full record

ArticleJournal of autism and developmental disorders2026

Parental External Shame and Family Functioning in Households of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Aikaterini Sousamli, Dimitra Metallinou, Dimitrios Anagnostopoulos, Antigoni Sarantaki

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Article in Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Aikaterini SousamliMidwifery Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Egaleo, 12243, Athens, Greece.
Dimitra MetallinouMidwifery Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Egaleo, 12243, Athens, Greece.
Dimitrios AnagnostopoulosSection of Social Medicine-Psychiatry-Neurology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10559, Athens, Greece.
Antigoni SarantakiMidwifery Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Egaleo, 12243, Athens, Greece. esarantaki@uniwa.gr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3316-8566

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study investigates the relationship between maternal external shame and family functioning in families raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objective is to explore the association between parental feelings of shame, perceived inferiority, and the overall functioning of families raising children with ASD.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 517 families across Greece. Parents completed validated questionnaires, including the External Shame Scale and subscales measuring family functioning (e.g., communication, problem-solving, personal goals). Statistical analyses included Pearson/Spearman correlations, as well as multivariate linear regressions, to identify predictive relationships.

resultsThe findings revealed a significant negative association between maternal external shame and key aspects of family functioning, including problem solving, communication, and personal goals. Higher levels of external shame were linked to more dysfunctional family patterns, underscoring the emotional and relational burden experienced by mothers of children with ASD.

conclusionParental external shame significantly impacts family functioning in ASD contexts. Drawing on family systems theory, these findings underscore the importance of holistic, family-centered interventions that promote parental mental health and resilience, supported by policies ensuring access to tailored mental health services.

Indexed as

Autism spectrum disorderCommunicationFamily functioningParental shameProblem-Solving

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.