Lived Experiences of Mothers Raising Children with Autism in Chitwan District, Nepal

BACKGROUND: Autism is a neurodevelopmental problem that is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Rearing and caring for children with autism depends upon the perception of mothers and various factors associated with it. There is a gap in the literature regarding the detailed accounts of mother's experiences regarding autism in Nepal. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore lived experiences of mothers raising children with autism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Qualitative phenomenological study design was used and nine mothers with autistic children were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using in-depth interview guidelines and analyzed using Colaizzi's steps. RESULTS: Findings of the study revealed that mothers raising children with autism encountered numerous problems in their life. They felt physically exhausted due to the continuous supervision of their child. Emotional problems such as denial, upset/sadness, and worry were also common among them. In addition, all mothers faced social problems such as social blame, social isolation, and ignorance from their relatives and society due to the atypical behavior of their child. Furthermore, the economic problem was also acute among mothers due to job loss, costly medical treatment, and therapies. So, to deal with the stressors they faced, mothers adopted various coping strategies such as respite care, problem-focused strategies, religious coping, and positive coping in their everyday life. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, to the authors' knowledge, this is the first study documenting the experiences of Nepalese mothers having autistic children. Hence, health care professionals need to pay more attention to address the problems of mothers while treating their autistic children. The Government of Nepal also needs to formulate a policy for the rehabilitation of autistic children in society.