嫲嫲公公都係同行者：研究點睇大家庭陪伴自閉症孩子同爸爸媽媽？ Grandparents Walk With Us Too: What Research Says About Extended Family in the Lives of Autistic Children and Their Parents

作者 Byline：周Sir／chausir.com

本文由 AI 協助整理公開資料。 This article summarises public research with AI assistance.

1. 呢份研究做咗啲咩 ｜ What the study looked at

中文

英國倫敦國王學院（King's College London）嘅研究團隊，喺 2025 年 5 月發表咗一篇系統性回顧，整理咗 42 項以訪談為主嘅研究，涉及 1,048 位家長同 2,140 位祖父母，地區包括美國、中國內地、台灣、澳洲、加拿大、南韓、加納等地方。研究想了解：祖父母、叔伯姑姐、表兄弟姊妹等大家庭成員，喺自閉症孩子同佢哋父母嘅生活入面扮演咩角色。[1]

English

A research team at King's College London published a systematic review in May 2025. It brought together 42 mainly interview-based studies involving 1,048 parents and 2,140 grandparents, from places including the United States, mainland China, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Ghana. The team wanted to understand the part that grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins play in the lives of autistic children and their parents. [1]

2. 大家庭點樣幫手 ｜ How extended family helped

中文

研究發現，大家庭嘅支持主要有四種：

• 情感上：畀家長傾訴、鼓勵佢哋

• 實際照顧：湊孩子、接送返學、幫手做家務

• 金錢上嘅幫助

• 資訊上：例如有長輩最先留意到孩子發展有啲唔同，提醒家長搵專業意見

有家長形容，有長輩喺身邊，令佢哋覺得肩膊輕咗，唔使一個人孤軍作戰。[1]

English

The review found four main kinds of support from extended family:

• Emotional: listening to parents and encouraging them

• Practical: looking after the child, school drop-offs and pick-ups, helping with housework

• Financial help

• Information: for example, a grandparent was sometimes the first to notice that a child was developing differently and suggested the parents seek professional advice

Some parents described feeling that a weight had been lifted off their shoulders, and that they were no longer on their own. [1]

3. 研究亦見到另一面 ｜ The other side of the picture

中文

研究亦見到，有啲長輩對自閉症有誤解，例如覺得「大個就會好」、「係父母寵壞」，甚至怪責媽媽；有啲家庭因為擔心面子或者家族名聲，令孩子同父母反而覺得被排斥。作者特別指出，喺重視家人互相依靠嘅文化（包括華人家庭），大家庭參與得更多，但對家族名聲嘅重視，有時會令長輩較難接受孩子嘅情況。[1]

English

The review also found that some relatives misunderstood autism, for example believing a child would "grow out of it" or had been "spoiled by the parents", and sometimes blaming the mother. In some families, worry about "face" or family reputation left the child and parents feeling pushed aside. The authors noted that in cultures that value family interdependence, including Chinese families, extended relatives tend to be more involved, yet the emphasis on family reputation can sometimes make it harder for them to accept the child's situation. [1]

4. 咩情況下支持最順 ｜ When support works best

中文

研究發現，長輩對自閉症認識越多、家人之間溝通越好、大家對「邊個做決定」有清楚共識，家長就越容易覺得呢啲支持係真正嘅幫助。有啲長輩一開始難以接受，但隨住了解增加、睇住孫仔孫女成長，態度都會慢慢轉變。[1]

English

Support was more likely to feel genuinely helpful to parents when relatives knew more about autism, when the family communicated well, and when everyone was clear about who makes the decisions. Some grandparents found it hard to accept at first, but their attitudes often shifted over time as they learned more and watched their grandchildren grow. [1]

5. 讀研究時要留意 ｜ Reading the findings with care

中文

呢篇回顧整合嘅係訪談研究，反映參與者嘅經驗同感受，只能講出常見嘅模式同「有關聯」嘅情況，唔可以話某種做法一定帶來某種結果。每個家庭都唔同，研究係一個參考方向，唔係一把尺。[1]

English

This review brings together interview studies, so it reflects participants' experiences and feelings. It can describe common patterns and links, but it cannot show that any particular approach will always lead to a particular result. Every family is different; research is a direction to consider, not a measuring stick. [1]

6. 香港家長可以點做 ｜ Small steps for Hong Kong parents

中文

香港好多家庭都係雙職父母，平日由嫲嫲、婆婆、爺爺、公公幫手湊孩子，長輩嘅參與好實在。長輩嘅愛同幫忙好珍貴，佢哋都需要「識多啲」先幫得更順手。可以試吓：

• 揀一兩個具體例子，同長輩分享孩子嘅喜好、容易唔開心嘅情景，同埋屋企用緊嘅相處方法，令大家用相近嘅方式回應孩子

• 長輩講「大個就會好」嗰陣，先理解佢哋都係出於關心，慢慢傾，唔使即刻爭拗

• 同長輩講清楚邊啲決定由父母負責、邊啲地方好需要佢哋幫手，分工清楚，關係會更舒服

• 留意長輩自己嘅體力同心情，唔好將所有照顧壓喺一個人身上

• 多啲同長輩分享孩子嘅小進步，一張相、一句「佢今日主動叫咗婆婆」，都係一齊開心嘅時刻

喺 CRP（Communication, Relationship, Parenting）嘅角度，同長輩傾得通，本身就係溝通同關係嘅一部分。孩子身邊多一個明白佢嘅大人，就多一份安全感。

English

In many Hong Kong families both parents work, and grandparents help care for the children during the week, so their involvement is very real. Their love and help are precious, and they also need to "know a bit more" to help more smoothly. You might try:

• Pick one or two concrete examples to share with grandparents: what your child enjoys, situations that tend to upset them, and the ways you respond at home, so everyone responds in a similar way

• When a grandparent says "they'll grow out of it", remember it usually comes from care; talk it through gently rather than arguing straight away

• Be clear about which decisions sit with the parents and where you really need the grandparents' help; clear roles make the relationship easier

• Keep an eye on the grandparents' own energy and mood, and avoid putting all the caring on one person

• Share your child's small steps with them; a photo, or "she called Grandma by herself today", is a moment to enjoy together

From a CRP (Communication, Relationship, Parenting) point of view, good conversations with grandparents are part of communication and connection too. One more understanding adult around a child means one more source of security.

資料來源 ｜ Sources

1. Li, J.-L., Washington-Nortey, M., Kifle, T. H., Cotier, F., & Hoekstra, R. A. (2025). The Role of Extended Family Members in the Lives of Autistic Individuals and Their Parents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 28(2), 507-539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-025-00525-7

免責聲明 ｜ Disclaimer

教育資訊，非診斷或醫療建議。 Educational information, not a diagnosis or medical advice.

周Sir 嘅講座同文章屬家長教育，不提供診斷、評估或治療，亦不提供醫療或用藥建議；如有需要，請諮詢合資格專業人士。

Chau Sir's talks and articles are parent education. They do not provide diagnosis, assessment or treatment, and do not provide medical or medication advice. If needed, please consult a qualified professional.