Parenting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): explore the experiences in different social levels in the context of Bangladesh

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the various dynamics of experiences in parenting children with ASD and how these experiences live in different social levels in the context of Bangladesh. The study selected participants through purposive sampling. Total ten families - both parents/ nineteen parents participated in the study from two social levels. The qualitative research design was employed since the study intended to understand lived reality of parental experiences intensively. Data was collected using online and face to face interviews, and through thematic analysis, the study presented the findings. The study revealed diverse experiences in perceptions, relations, gender roles and challenges in parenting, along with the gaps in the state’s initiatives to curtail these challenges in Bangladesh. Data showed parents took various coping strategies to lessen their hardship; in this case, adequate formal and informal supports work as strength and stress reliever to parents. Besides, parents identified essential requirements for themselves and their children that are possible to fulfill by proper policy measures and implementations. By looking at different parenting experiences dynamics, the study highlighted the relationship between parental experiences and their social levels. In this case, the study reveals various commonalities as well as diversity in experiences between social levels. However, the study revealed that parents from the high social level have more access to different resources than parents from low social status.

The study aimed to explore the various dynamics of experiences in parenting children with ASD and how these experiences live in different social levels in the context of Bangladesh. The study selected participants through purposive sampling. Total ten families - both parents/ nineteen parents participated in the study from two social levels. The qualitative research design was employed since the study intended to understand lived reality of parental experiences intensively. Data was collected using online and face to face interviews, and through thematic analysis, the study presented the findings. The study revealed diverse experiences in perceptions, relations, gender roles and challenges in parenting, along with the gaps in the state’s initiatives to curtail these challenges in Bangladesh. Data showed parents took various coping strategies to lessen their hardship; in this case, adequate formal and informal supports work as strength and stress reliever to parents. Besides, parents identified essential requirements for themselves and their children that are possible to fulfill by proper policy measures and implementations. By looking at different parenting experiences dynamics, the study highlighted the relationship between parental experiences and their social levels. In this case, the study reveals various commonalities as well as diversity in experiences between social levels. However, the study revealed that parents from the high social level have more access to different resources than parents from low social status.