A Dynamic and Recursive Process of Resilience in Chinese Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Study

Objective: This study examines how Chinese families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) developed family resilience across their caregiving experiences and identifies the conditions that shape these processes. Methods: In-depth retrospective interviews were conducted with 15 parents and 4 staff members of an ASD service organization in Dalian, China. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was used, with Walsh’s family resilience framework serving as a sensitizing lens. Staff perspectives were treated as supplementary contextual accounts. Results: Three recurring patterns were identified across families, including crisis-oriented disruption and uncertainty after diagnosis, active exploration and family reconstruction during intensive caregiving, and relative stabilization and expanded adaptation as routines and supports settled. These patterns were revisited and combined in different orders rather than following a fixed linear sequence. Resilience was shaped by a mix of intrafamilial and broader contextual conditions. Intrafamilial conditions included intergenerational caregiving and marital relationship. Contextual conditions included cultural norms, stigma, service access, and social support. Parental education was associated with adaptation but was not independent of income and service access. Conclusions: Family resilience in Chinese families of children with ASD should be understood as a dynamic, recursive, and contextually embedded process. The findings point to the need for family-centered, stigma-sensitive interventions that support the wider family and respond to families’ shifting needs over time.