Parenting in context: parents’ experiences of caring for a child with autism in Bangladesh

Abstract Although research on children with autism, their parents, and family-provider relations has substantially increased around the world, there has been a paucity of qualitative studies conducted on autism in developing countries or cross-cultural contexts. This qualitative study aims to explore parents’ experiences of raising a child with autism, as well as how autism is framed in everyday cultural contexts in Bangladesh. Using a semi-structured interview schedule, the study conducted interviews with four fathers and eighteen mothers of children with autism. The findings of this study reveal that parents who care for a child with autism experience emotions of sadness, frustration, and isolation. Despite the immense challenges that come with raising a child with autism, many parents report that their stress and anxiety are compounded by the stigma, avoidance, and disparaging remarks they receive from their own family members and neighbors. The findings of this study may help researchers and healthcare professionals understand better as to how local cultural beliefs, experiences, and understandings influence, how parents and families care for and view the development of their children with autism, and how they look for support and treatment services.