The Coping Strategies Used by Parents of Children with Autism in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

All parents of children with autism have to deal with this challenging condition. Their children are known to be more delicate and to necessitate greater consideration and care than children without the condition and, for this reason, they may cause stress for their parents. Therefore, parents have developed techniques of coping with these children. As indicated by previous research, parents employ different methods of coping with their children’s autism, and it is important to explore these methods to better understand the children’s needs and how to bring about improvements. This research describes some of the coping techniques used by parents of children with autism in Saudi Arabia and thereby improves knowledge and understanding of this area. A qualitative research design was utilised in this study. Semi-structured interviews with pre-planned questions were conducted with eight parents of children with autism. Subsequently, the data were transcribed and then analysed using thematic analysis. The research found that six common coping techniques were employed by the parents, namely: spirituality, support group, family support, resources and information, getting additional help, and finding something positive.

Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Parents’ perceptions, Coping strategies, Qualitative, Saudi Arabia