Understanding autism spectrum disorder and coping mechanism by parents: An explorative study.
Hilda Shilubane, Nomfundo Mazibuko
PMID 33195753WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers of children with ASD reported little understanding of the condition; some linked it to witchcraft and sought traditional healers.
They described prayer, support from family, friends and professionals, and acceptance as ways of coping.
Key findings
01Some mothers linked ASD to witchcraft and sought help from traditional healers.
02Mothers reported prayer and acceptance as ways of coping with caring for their child.
03Family, friends, and professionals were described as support that helped reduce stress.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only female parents were interviewed, so fathers' views are missing. The study was done in one district of Mpumalanga, South Africa, so it may not apply elsewhere. It is a qualitative study, so it reports parents' experiences and cannot show that any coping strategy improves outcomes. Fifteen parents were invited and none refused, but only 12 were interviewed; the paper does not explain the difference.
Declared interests
The University of Venda Research and Publication Committee and the National Research Foundation funded the study. The funders played no role in writing the manuscript. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the coping themes as evidence that prayer, traditional healing, or acceptance improves child or parent outcomes. This is a qualitative study of mothers' reported understanding and coping, not a test of an intervention.