Experiences of Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Addis Ababa

Abstract

 The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of mothers whose children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A set of in-depth interviews were conducted with four mothers of children with ASD through purposive sampling technique. The interviews with the mothers were recorded, transcribed and analyzed under thematic analysis. The results containing two themes indicated that mothers’ knowledge of ASD and the difficulties that mothers of children with ASD face. The result showed that three of the four mothers who took part in the assessment admitted that they had no prior knowledge of ASD. Besides, all mothers often experienced feelings of exhaustion due to their incapacity to understand the child’s development, along with anxiety and fear about the possibility that something was wrong with the child. The results of this study also demonstrated that stigma, marital discord, and financial limitations were among the difficulties faced by mothers of children with ASD. Implications for future research and interventions that aim to increase knowledge about ASD and improve the lives of children and mothers are discussed.