Zsófia Szlamka, Cukier Sebastián, Charlotte Hanlon, Rosa A Hoekstra
{"title":"Caregiver-centred empowerment for families raising autistic children: A qualitative case study from Argentina.","authors":"Zsófia Szlamka, Cukier Sebastián, Charlotte Hanlon, Rosa A Hoekstra","doi":"10.1177/13623613241238254","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Lay abstract: </strong>Caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, including autism, often struggle to access services, information and resources in Argentina. Little is known about how caregivers can be empowered to support their children as they wish to in the Argentinian setting. We spoke with 32 people online to understand existing and potential practices of supporting caregivers. The people we spoke with included caregivers, health service providers, non-governmental organisations' representatives providing services or technical support, special education teachers and policy representatives. Participants said that poverty, and inequalities in accessing support, impact how caregivers can support their children. They mentioned examples that help caregivers feel empowered, such as peer support groups and caregiver training. Many caregivers spoke about how they became advocates for their children and how they developed initiatives such as advocacy campaigns and well-being support groups. Caregivers in Argentina may be empowered in various ways, and the following strategies can improve empowerment: strengthening collaboration between professionals and caregivers; focusing on caregiver mental health; and addressing the profound impact of poverty on the quality of life of families.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11497749/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Autism","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613241238254","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/3/18 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Lay abstract: Caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, including autism, often struggle to access services, information and resources in Argentina. Little is known about how caregivers can be empowered to support their children as they wish to in the Argentinian setting. We spoke with 32 people online to understand existing and potential practices of supporting caregivers. The people we spoke with included caregivers, health service providers, non-governmental organisations' representatives providing services or technical support, special education teachers and policy representatives. Participants said that poverty, and inequalities in accessing support, impact how caregivers can support their children. They mentioned examples that help caregivers feel empowered, such as peer support groups and caregiver training. Many caregivers spoke about how they became advocates for their children and how they developed initiatives such as advocacy campaigns and well-being support groups. Caregivers in Argentina may be empowered in various ways, and the following strategies can improve empowerment: strengthening collaboration between professionals and caregivers; focusing on caregiver mental health; and addressing the profound impact of poverty on the quality of life of families.
期刊介绍:
Autism is a major, peer-reviewed, international journal, published 8 times a year, publishing research of direct and practical relevance to help improve the quality of life for individuals with autism or autism-related disorders. It is interdisciplinary in nature, focusing on research in many areas, including: intervention; diagnosis; training; education; translational issues related to neuroscience, medical and genetic issues of practical import; psychological processes; evaluation of particular therapies; quality of life; family needs; and epidemiological research. Autism provides a major international forum for peer-reviewed research of direct and practical relevance to improving the quality of life for individuals with autism or autism-related disorders. The journal''s success and popularity reflect the recent worldwide growth in the research and understanding of autistic spectrum disorders, and the consequent impact on the provision of treatment and care. Autism is interdisciplinary in nature, focusing on evaluative research in all areas, including: intervention, diagnosis, training, education, neuroscience, psychological processes, evaluation of particular therapies, quality of life issues, family issues and family services, medical and genetic issues, epidemiological research.