Autistic Motherhood: Wellbeing, Cognition, and Family Dynamics

This project explores the experiences of autistic and non-autistic mothers through a detailed psychological and relational lens. While autistic motherhood is increasingly recognised, very little research has examined how cognitive style, sensory processing, emotional wellbeing, and parenting approaches interact within real family systems.

Using a rich battery of validated measures — including assessments of anxiety and depression (DASS-21), cognitive flexibility, alexithymia (TAS-20), sensory sensitivities, camouflaging, and parenting style (PRFQ, PAFAS) — the study builds a nuanced profile of maternal functioning across both autistic and non-autistic groups. Child outcomes are also included (SDQ, SRS-2), allowing the team to understand how parental cognitive and emotional processes relate to children’s behaviour, wellbeing, and social development.

The aim is not to identify “deficits” but to map protective factors, pressures, and contextual risks within autistic motherhood — highlighting the interplay between sensory load, emotional regulation, executive functioning, parenting confidence, and the wider environment. This project also lays the groundwork for a broader doctoral programme on autism, trauma, and resilience, shaping future tools and interventions that reflect the lived realities of autistic parents.

Sitting within COALESCE’s wider work on memory, learning, and cognitive style, this study brings visibility to an under-researched group and offers an evidence base for more informed, strengths-based support for autistic mothers and their families.