黃金花的悲歡離合-自閉症家庭女性照顧者婚姻經營困境初探

Abstract

本論文研究自閉症家庭女性照顧者婚姻經營的困境初探，採質性敘事研究，瞭解 3 位自閉症家庭女性照顧者從戀愛進入婚姻的主觀經驗與過程及面對的困難。 研究發現自閉症家庭的溝通負荷較一般家庭沉重，長期未解衝突導致夫妻雙方身心俱損，成為自閉症家庭女性照顧者婚姻上的共同挑戰，以及自閉症家庭的婚姻韌力有待探討。 研究結果顯示： 一、自閉症者家庭女性照顧者的婚姻困難，來自於社會文化上的桎梏。 二、溝通負荷在自閉症家庭裏，較一般家庭沉重，溝通對自閉症家庭是重要且特殊的議題 三、自閉症者家庭女性照顧者婚姻經營樣態： (一)自閉症家庭女性照顧者面對夫妻衝突中找磨合方法，為婚姻努力。 (二)社會文化桎梏對自閉症家庭女性照顧者形成的焦慮，讓她們只看見孩子，看不到先生的需求，同時也沒看見自己。 (三)伴侶因認知固著傾向，易造就多年懸而未決的夫妻衝突，在夫妻衝突中取經，經過長期相處才能找到與伴侶互動的訣竅及方法，同時累積夫妻間的負向情緒及身心磨損。 (四)「 離」歌升起，來自面對經久多年，懸而未決的夫妻衝突所帶來的疲累感，後續會考量現實狀況，忍住「離」意。 最後，提出對未來研究方向之建議為加入自閉症傾向伴侶的觀點、有待新血加入研究自閉症家庭裏的婚姻議題。

In this qualitative narrative research, the author aims to study the marital challenges faced by female caregivers of families with autistic members and investigate the subjective experiences, processes, and hardships of three female caregivers of three families with autistic members as these women navigate romance and marriage. The research shows that: the communication burden in families with autistic members is heavier than that in ordinary families; long-term unresolved conflict has an impact on both spouses’ physical and mental well-being, which has become a common marital challenge for female caregivers of families with autistic members; and marital resilience in families with autistic members needs to be further investigated. The research indicates the following conclusions: I. Marital challenges faced by female caregivers of families with autistic members are usually from sociocultural conventions. II. The communication burden in families with autistic members is heavier than that in ordinary families. Communication is an important and unique matter for families with autistic members. III. Marital management of female caregivers of families with autistic members: (I) Female caregivers of families with autistic members make adjustments to resolve spousal conflict and improve marriage quality. (II) Sociocultural conventions bring anxiety to female caregivers of families with autistic members, leading them to focus more on their children than the needs of their husbands and themselves. (III) The three subjects’ husbands’ lack of cognitive flexibility usually leads to long-term unresolved marital conflict. After learning meaningful lessons from disagreement and longtime partnership, the subjects are able to find strategies and ways to interact with their spouses; however, negative emotions and the wear and tear of stressors usually accumulate between spouses. (IV) Thoughts about divorce come from the emotional exhaustion caused by long-term unresolved marital conflict. After weighing up realistic factors, the subjects decide to stay married. Finally, the author suggests future research directions on the perspectives of spouses with autistic traits and marital issues in families with autistic members.