The importance of parent-to-parent support among families of children with autism in the People's Republic of China

Abstract

This article reports the experiences of families of children with autism in the People's Republic of China. The caregivers of 43 children with autism attending one of two short-term (3-month) intervention programmes for young children with autism were interviewed about their experiences before, during, and after the programme. Parent-to-parent support emerged as the main theme. Specifically, caregivers in this study discussed the value of being with other parents who share similar experiences. Two reasons were given for the importance of parent-to-parent support: to learn from each other, and to gain moral support and encouragement in a relationship that is more equal and less discriminatory than was experienced from others in society. This report also briefly highlights the factors that are similar to family experiences in western contexts, as well as factors that are influenced by the Chinese context.