In an earlier blog post, we discussed studies that showed parents with autistic children having higher rates of divorce than parents who did not have children with autism. The National Autism Association found that 80 percent of couples that had children with autism ended their relationship in a divorce.
However, the Baltimore Sun reports that there are now new studies that disprove this theory. Texas family law attorneys may agree that having special needs children doesn't mean that you're necessarily more likely to get a divorce.
Researchers with the Baltimore-based Kennedy Krieger Institute have found that 64 percent of children with an autism spectrum disorder have two married biological or adoptive parents. This is in comparison to 65 percent of children without autism who have married biological or adoptive parents. The study consists of data from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, which takes into account about 78,000 children, ages 3 through 17.
With this new research, parents should not feel that their marriage is doomed, even if caring for a special needs child feels a bit stressful at times. Studies do show that parents of autistic children report more stress than parents of non-autistic kids. Mothers of autistic children report more depression than other mothers and fathers often feel the need to distance themselves from the family to cope with the stress.
With all statistics aside, parents are still encouraged to talk to a Houston family law attorney if they're thinking about the process of a divorce, or if they have questions regarding other family law matters. Family law attorneys can answer questions about divorce, paternity, adoption, child custody, child support, and many other family issues.
Related Resources:
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The Economic Impact of a Divorce (FindLaw's KnowledgeBase)
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A Divorce Timeline (FindLaw)
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Locate a Houston Family Law Attorney (FindLaw)
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