Autism spectrum disorder refers to social interaction deficits influencing learning, relationships with peers, and overall quality of life. In Bangladesh, research regarding the factors affecting interaction among children with autism is very limited. This study focused on the maternal, environmental, and socio-demographic factors that reveal social interaction outcomes for autistic children in northern Bangladesh, analyzing case stories and statements to provide context for the findings. This study adopted a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative data collected from 246 parents and caregivers of autistic children aged between 3 and 18 years. A pilot study was conducted before starting the main study and reported some significant findings to conduct future study. The key factors include environmental exposures, maternal health and socio-demographic variables. The analysis was conducted regarding Chi-square tests and multivariate ordinal logistic regression to find out the associations. Qualitative data were collected from 13 key informants and 10 case studies, which collected the statements from caregivers, thereby evaluating the interpretation of the results. The quantitative findings revealed significant bivariate associations with ultrasonography (χ²=8.49, p=.014) and birthweight (χ²=10.66, p=.031). The multivariate analysis revealed maternal depression linked to poverty as a significant predictor of diminished peer interaction (AOR=0.04, 95% CI: 0.00–0.74, p=.030). Data provides information that mothers spoke of withdrawing from social gatherings due to depression related to poverty and also stated that they faced rejection from schools and relatives blamed mothers within joint family structures, and fathers felt scarcity due to the lack of inclusive educational facilities and opportunities. These narratives explained how quantitative predictors are related to socio-cultural contexts. Factors such as maternal depression, stigma, family dynamics, and systemic exclusion collectively contribute to social interaction deficits. There is an urgent need for interventions that focus on maternal mental health, promote inclusive education, and reduce stigma to improve peer engagement among autistic children in Bangladesh.
Abdullah et al. (Thu,) studied this question.