Enhancement of Communication Abilities in Learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorder via the use of Nature-Expo Therapy in Buea, Cameroon; stakeholders' perspectives

Communication is a naturally acquired ability, but it is an uphill task for most learners with autistic spectrum disorders. Absence of time in nature fosters deficiency in areas such as language development and communication skills. This study examined the effect of nature expo therapy on the enhancement of communication abilities in pupils 9-11years with autistic spectrum disorders in the Buea municipality, Southwest Region of Cameroon. The study sought to answer the following questions: how would you describe your child’s communication abilities before the intervention, what kind of natural environment did you expose your client to and what constituted the therapeutic activities and the duration and how does nature-expo therapy impact the communication ability of children with ASD?The study adopted the descriptive survey with a qualitative paradigm where parents and therapists of children with autistic spectrum disorders were interviewed and given opened ended questionnaire to decipher their opinion on the children’s communication abilities. Five Parents and five therapists of five children with ASD of both genders, from the Buea Municipality of the Southwest regions of Cameroon, aged six to eleven years participated in this research. Data collection was done from April till September 2024. It was done simultaneously between parents and therapist to avoid differences in responses in relation to time. Children’s communication deficits were established, and interventions given by therapists. The intervention adopted was nature expo therapy. Parents and therapists reported positive changes in verbal non-verbal and pragmatic language ability for all the children with autism who took the intervention. The study recommended the integration of nature-expo therapy and nature-expo teaching into the everyday activities for children with autistic spectrum disorders.