Financial Vulnerability of Families Raising Children with Autism: Evidence from One Year of Financial Diary Data In China

Background and Purpose: Over 10 million families in China are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), yet the micro-financial conditions of these families remain poorly understood. Existing research has focused predominantly on clinical and educational dimensions of ASD, with limited attention to the financial vulnerability and asset-building challenges that shape family livelihood over time. Financial vulnerability, exposure to financial risks without adequate resources to absorb shocks, is particularly acute for ASD families, given the dual pressures of reduced parental labor market participation and elevated care expenditures. This study pioneers the application of the financial diary method to ASD families in China, providing the first systematic longitudinal account of their micro-financial conditions across both income and asset dimensions.

Methods: Using the financial diary method, an internationally recognized approach for studying micro-financial conditions among vulnerable populations, this study tracked daily income and expenditures over 12 consecutive months for 33 ASD families across four provinces and municipalities in China. Data collection combined daily financial tracking with structured interviews to capture income sources, expenditure patterns, asset holdings, and use of financial instruments. Although the sample is small, the financial diary method is designed for intensive longitudinal depth, and the 12-month tracking period enables analysis of both structural financial conditions and seasonal fluctuations within households.

Results: Findings reveal pronounced and multidimensional financial vulnerability. On the asset side, wealth is highly concentrated: one-third of families have no savings, and only approximately one quarter hold household savings exceeding ¥50,000 (about $7,000), with a substantial urban-rural gap. On the income and expenditure side, ASD families face dual pressures — per capita monthly income falls below the national average while per capita expenditure exceeds it, with income-expenditure disparity across families differing by approximately 68 times. Income is heavily concentrated in wage earnings (approximately 66%), with disability-related transfer income providing limited support. Approximately 80% of mothers provide full-time care, excluding them from paid employment and creating pronounced income dependence on fathers. While most families maintain relatively stable monthly flows, 50% experience deficits, and about one quarter face deficits in over two-thirds of months. Housing constitutes the largest expenditure category, followed by daily living costs, loan repayments, and rehabilitation and education expenses. Critically, families' use of financial instruments for long-term planning is very limited, suggesting financial vulnerability will deepen over time without structural intervention.

Conclusions and Implications: ASD families in China face compounding financial vulnerabilities that income support alone cannot address. Sustainable financial well-being requires dual intervention, expanding income opportunities while simultaneously building asset accumulation capacity and long-term financial planning support. For social work practice, these findings point to the need for integrated financial capability services addressing both immediate cash flow management and longer-term wealth building, with particular attention to mothers' economic exclusion and inadequacy of current transfer income. For policy, targeted asset-building programs (such as disability savings accounts) warrant serious consideration as structural complements to existing income-based supports for ASD families in China.