본 연구는 자폐스펙트럼 중학생을 기르는 어머니의 양육 경험을 심층적으로 살펴보는 것을 목적으로 한다. 이를 위해 자폐스펙트럼 중학생 자녀를 기르는 어머니를 대상으로 내러티브라는 질적 연구 방법을 사용하여 양육 경험을 살펴보았다. 연구 대상자로부터 나온 내러티브 텍스트를 분석하여, ‘새로운 변화’, ‘자녀의 진로를 위한 과제’, ‘자녀의 정체성’이라는 주제를 도출하였으며, 이를 중심으로 구체적인 연구결과를 제시하였다. 논의를 통해 어머니와 자폐스펙트럼 중학생에게 필요한 교육적 지원방법과 후속연구를 제시하였다.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the experiences of mothers of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. The participants were two mothers who had adolescent with autism spectrum disorder attending middle school. Narrative inquiry was used as the research methodology. The data were collected through interviews and observations. For data analysis, the researcher repeatedly read the field texts and manuscripts, listened to the recorded information, and narratively coded with the main research themes of parenting experiences. After the coding, the participants’ narratives were reconstructed and interpreted to derive the meanings of parenting experiences. As a result of the data analysis, this study deduced total three types of themes: ‘new changes’, ‘challenging for career’, and ‘identity of children’. Based on these findings, the implications and limitations of the research and suggestions for further studies were discussed.