oa The Well-Being of Families Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Qatar
Abstract
This study aimed at identifying the challenges that families of children with autism in Qatar face, shedding light on the psychological well-being of parents of children with autism, and proposing recommendations for improving the lives of families of children with autism. This study comes in light of Qatar's recent steps to address the needs of children with autism and their families, through the Qatar National Autism Plan. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected for this study. The data gathered presented information on parent's experiences in raising a child with autism, parents' needs related to their child, child behavior problems, parents' psychological well-being, social support, and coping strategies. The study proposed a set of recommendations including the importance of simplifying the process of finding and seeking necessary services for children with autism and helping them receive it at a young age. These services should be provided by the government with the highest quality, delivered by well-trainer therapist, to reduce the financial burden of families and the stress associated with needing financial assistance. In addition to simplifying the process of granting paid leave for mothers who choose to stay home to provide full-time care for their children, besides other recommendations.
2nd edition
