Coping strategies adopted by caregivers of children with autism in the Limpopo Province, South Africa
African Journal of Disability
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Coping strategies adopted by caregivers of children with autism in the Limpopo Province, South Africa | |
| Creator | Sumbane, Gsakani O. | |
| Description | Background: Emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies are frequently employed by caregivers of autistic children to increase their general well-being and resilience to the stress of raising the child. Although these strategies cannot directly address the situation, it is useful for handling stressful situations that cannot change.Objectives: The study seeks to explore and understand the emotion- and problem-focused strategies that caregivers use to cope with the challenges of raising a child with autism.Method: This was a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research study. Twenty-eight caregivers were purposive-convenient sampled from the public special schools where their autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children are schooling. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data, which were then transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis.Results: Positive emotion-focused strategies include positive reappraisal, reframing and acceptance. Negative emotion-focused strategies include denial, emotional release, cognitive distortion, self-isolation, overprotection, negative self-talk, punishment and religion. Problem-focused coping strategies include active and adaptive coping, peer group, professional support and social support.Conclusion: The coping methods that have been identified can be integrated into intervention programmes and serve as a guide for specialised institutions that offer more extensive knowledge and assistance to families who are caring for children with ASD.Contribution: The study contributes to understanding the emotion- and problem-focused strategies adopted by rural caregivers in managing their emotions, interpretation of the situation and adjusting to the demands of raising an autistic child. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2024-09-30 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/ajod.v13i0.1384 | |
| Source | African Journal of Disability; Vol 13 (2024); 11 pages 2226-7220 2223-9170 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1384/2888
https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1384/2890
https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1384/2891
https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/1384/2892
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