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Custodial Grandparents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Definition

Custodial grandparents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) serve as head of their household; assume primary responsibility for at least one biological, adoptive, or step-grandchild diagnosed with ASD; and may or may not have their caregiving responsibilities recognized via legal adoption, guardianship, or formal custody arrangements. Families comprised of custodial grandparents and their grandchildren are called grandfamilies, kin care, custodial, and skip-generation families.

Historical Background

Research on custodial grandparents of children with ASD was predicated by general studies of US grandparents who lived in the same household as their grandchildren. Although the Census Bureau began to gather data on grandparents who lived in the same household as their grandchildren in the 1970s, a lack of data regarding the individual characteristics of those grandchildren, coupled with multiple changes in autism’s diagnostic nomenclature, has made it difficult, if...

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References and Readings

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Psychology Program, The Pennsylvania State University, Berks College, Reading, PA, USA

    Jennifer Hillman

  2. Post Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Autism Studies, College of Health Professions, Towson University, Towson, MD, USA

    Connie Anderson

Authors
  1. Jennifer Hillman
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  2. Connie Anderson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer Hillman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA

    Fred R. Volkmar

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Hillman, J., Anderson, C. (2020). Custodial Grandparents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102353-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102353-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

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