Abstract: This research applies the principal component factor analysis to the needs of 120 autism families and concludes that the needs of autism families include psychological and emotional need, social resources need, and knowledge and information need, of which the psychological and emotional one is most urgent. The path for social work intervention is thus determined. Work should be done in studying family cases, advocating community social work and making policies for supporting autism families so as to promote the recovery of family functions and hence the recovery of autistic patients and the healthy development of their family members.

Key words: psychological and emotional need, social resources need, knowledge and information needs, social work integration