Lived Experiences of Mothers Raising Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Page: 1423-1428

Nivedita Raul¹, Sayantani Behura², and Sujaya Routray³ (Department of Gender Studies, Rama Devi Women’s University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha^{1, 2} and Former Faculty of Disha Law College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh³)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects individuals across the globe. Despite the growing body of research on ASD, there is a paucity of studies that specifically explore the experiences of parents, particularly mothers, raising girls with ASD. Girls with ASD often present with a different set of challenges as compared to boys. The current study aims to explore the lived experiences of mothers raising girls with ASD with a focus on understanding their psychosocial realities. A qualitative research design was employed, using in-depth interviews with 15 mothers of girls with ASD, who were selected from the District of Cuttack and Khordha, using a purposive sampling technique. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that mothers of girl children with ASD face unique challenges, including delayed diagnosis, inadequate support, and societal stigma. The mothers reported feeling isolated, frustrated, and exhausted. The study identified five themes, including: (1) Diagnosis, (2) Fear of the future (3) Coping with societal stigma and isolation (4) Puberty and Menstrual Management (5) Economic challenges