“Their Rejection Made Him Isolate Himself”: social rejection within families and society towards children with intellectual disability and/or autism in Saudi Arabia

Children with intellectual disability and/or autism face pervasive social rejection, which contributes to loneliness and social isolation for both the children and their families. Whilst research has documented some negative attitudes towards individuals with disabilities in Saudi Arabia, limited attention has been given to how mothers experience and confront rejection behaviours in their daily lives. This study employs Moustakas’s (1994) transcendental phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of 10 mothers of children with intellectual disability and/or autism in southern Saudi Arabia through semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that, among this group of mothers, social rejection was experienced across multiple contexts, within family circles, from neighbours, within institutions, in public places, and during family gatherings, which manifest through gestural, behavioural, and verbal rejection. Notably, several mothers appeared to limit their children’s social exposure through avoidance and withdrawal strategies, which may inadvertently reinforce isolation. These findings point to a potential need for interventions, including public awareness campaigns, professional training, and family support programmes, to reduce loneliness and promote inclusion in this context.