Whitmore, Kim E.

Purpose: Parents of children with special healthcare needs may become overwhelmed with the ongoing caregiving needs of their children. Caring for a child with special healthcare needs is often challenging, requiring specialized training in many cases. As a result, parents can struggle to find qualified caregivers capable of providing them a break from the 24/7 care of their child. Respite care programs are designed to provide caregivers with a much‐needed temporary break.

While parenting, in general, can be stressful, mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience chronic stress comparable to combat soldiers. Research suggests that respite care may potentially reduce stress among caregivers. However, greater understanding of this relationship is needed. The purpose of this integrative review is to examine the relationship between respite care and stress among caregivers of children with ASD.; Sample and Eligibility: A final sample of 11 primary research reports were located using several databases.