The nature of benefit finding in parents of a child with Asperger syndrome

Abstract

The present study examined the nature of benefit finding in 220 parents of a child with Asperger syndrome (AS) by developing and validating a multi-item Benefit Finding Scale for Parents of Children with AS (BFS-PCAS) and examining the relationships of benefit finding dimensions with positive and negative indicators of adjustment. Parents of children with AS completed questionnaires at Time 1 and 12 months later (Time 2). Exploratory factor analyses identified six benefit finding factors that were moderately inter-correlated: New Possibilities, Growth in Character, Appreciation, Spiritual Growth, Positive Effects of the Child, and Greater Understanding. Cross-sectional analyses showed that benefit finding was associated with higher levels of anxiety and positive affect. Results provide support for the use of a multi-item scale to measure benefit finding and for the differential relationships of benefit finding dimensions with positive and negative indicators of adjustment. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.