Experiences and coping styles of caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Kampala

Abstract

The researcher aimed at exploring the experiences and coping styles among caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Kampala. 10 caregivers with children with ASD were selected. Out of the ten caregivers engaged in the study, eight had boys and the two had girls. An Interpretative phenomenological analysis research design was used; data was collected using a semi structured interview guide. Thereafter the data was analysed using thematic analysis. Participants revealed that they struggled to access affordable and quality education for their children. Furthermore, participants reported that they relied heavily on third party support from relatives and friends within their reach to take care of their children. The absence of proper special needs policies and lack of affordable education for children with varying levels of severity of autism was the key gap which mainly exacerbated the vulnerability of the lives of children with ASD and their caregivers.