Sobrecarga familiar e o transtorno do espectro autista: um estudo narrativo

Abstract

NTRODUCTION: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition characterized by impairments in communication, social interaction, and socioemotional development. When a child receives an autism diagnosis, the family begins to face major changes in their social life, future expectations, daily care, and family and professional plans. OBJECTIVE: To identify the family burden of people with autism spectrum disorder through the literature. METHOD: Narrative literature review. The data search was carried out in the Virtual Health Library (VHL), in the Lilacs, SciELO and BDENF databases, using descriptors and the Boolean operators “AND” and “OR”. The time frame considered was from 2019 to 2025. RESULTS: Different realities were identified in the countries studied, with important challenges in the parental care provided to children with ASD. The analysis of the data allowed the extraction of five thematic units: Burden (physical and emotional); Lack of time for oneself; Support network; Impact of the diagnosis; and Social stigma. CONCLUSION: The studies show that managing the care of a child with ASD imposes complex demands on families, and this is a universal concern that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. Family burden stood out, with impacts that fall mainly on caregivers. Mothers were highlighted as the main figures in this context. It was evident that the diagnosis affects the entire family structure, requiring reorganization of roles, adaptation of routines, coping with prejudice, and the need for a support network and qualified professionals.