High functioning autistic children and the construction of "normal family life".

This study examines the social construction of normal family life among the parents of children with high functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome. The meaning of the concept of normal family life is reviewed, and a constructionist perspective is employed to understand the parents' evaluations of their families. The results present a description of the factors used as evidence for or against family normality and the variations in such perceptions according to the gender of the parent and the child's autistic symptoms.