Parent caregiver perceptions of the behaviour of their children with autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative exploratory study

Abstract

This study explored parent caregivers’ perspectives of the influence of context on the behaviour of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Applying interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), we collected and analysed in-depth interview data from four South African parent caregivers (females = 4, age range = 38 to 52 years) regarding their children’s behaviours in school and home contexts. The findings revealed the parent caregivers to perceive external context factors of parenting style, stimulus loading, and social factors as interacting dynamically with internal context factors of biological and psychological predispositions to influence their children’s behaviours. Belief in the internal capacity for growth accompanied by addressing external factors in psychologically flexible ways, appear to be important in supporting the behavioural competencies of children with ASD. A responsive parenting style would assist parent caregivers in providing targeted behavioural supports to their children with ASD.