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| Q&A with Dr. Marion O'Brien |
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 Marion O'Brien, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also serves as director of the Family Research Center at UNCG. In addition to her work with families of children with autism spectrum disorders, she studies families of children with other developmental disabilities and those who are at medical risk, adoptive and foster care families, and families of children who are typically developing. |
Q: What is the one thing you would say to a parent who has just found out her child has autism? A: I would say, “I am sure you must feel overwhelmed and confused and even a little bit as if your child, whom you thought you knew well, is somewhat of a stranger to you. I want you to know that these feelings are shared by many other parents of children with autism spectrum disorders, and they are a natural and normal reaction to a very difficult and complicated situation. I also want you to know that there is hope for your child—there are good, effective intervention services that can make a real difference in your child’s life and for your family. And, most of all, you will find that your child is still the person you love so much. As one father told us, ‘It doesn’t change how you love them. You just love them more and more.’” Q: What book have you read lately that you are excited about? |
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To learn more about Dr. O'Brien's work, go to www.uncg.edu/frc.
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A: Recently I got around to reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a novel by Mark Hadden, that is very entertaining but also gives some helpful insight into living with a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Most interesting to me were the glimpses into the world of the child with ASD and how ordinary, everyday events may be experienced so differently. Q: What inspired you to work with families of kids with autism? A: I grew up with a brother who had Asperger syndrome, but was never diagnosed. When I learned about Asperger syndrome as an adult, much about my family life as I was growing up became understandable. I realized how much my parents had struggled because of the ambiguity of my brother’s condition and the fact that they had no help whatsoever, and I became determined to try to help other parents of children with ASDs. Q: What do you see as the next breakthrough for autism? A: I am optimistic that advances in our knowledge of human genetics will ultimately allow us to have a biological marker for autism and will also bring clarity to what is currently a very confusing set of diagnostic criteria. On the intervention end, I also am hopeful that earlier diagnosis combined with intervention beginning in the second year will be effective in reducing some of the symptoms of ASDs. Q: What is the greatest obstacle you have overcome in your work? A: I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world in that I have always been able to obtain support to do the kind of work with children and families that I felt was important and meaningful. Being able to do work you love and contribute in some small ways to making families’ lives better is truly a gift. I really cannot say that I have had to overcome any major obstacles—but that may be partly because I generally consider setbacks as challenges rather than barriers. Q: What is the most rewarding experience you've had in working with a child with autism? A: The opportunity to talk with and learn from families of children with ASDs has been a wonderful experience for me, and I am very grateful to all the families who have participated in our research projects for sharing so much of their lives with us. |
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