Introduction. Autism diagnosis can be an enormous shock for the parents. They have to cope, not only with psychological difficulties, but also with financial and therapeutical issues related to their children. Especially while they are waiting for the diagnosis, they usually do not know or deny the thoughts about what happens with their child and their family. The care and the upbringing of autistic children are related with vast mental and emotional strains, and financial issues. Aim. The research objective was to characterize the specificity of functioning of families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of the research was to determine whether having an autistic child has a significant effect on the parents, especially on their coping mechanisms and assessment of the functioning of the family. Materials and methods. The Flexibility and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES-IV), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) and sociodemographic survey were used in this study. Results. The results of the study show that parents of autistic children differ in general functioning, communication in the family, satisfaction with the family life, levels of flexibility and cohesion, and chosen coping mechanism.