Perceived Needs and Barriers in Raising a Child with ASD and Accessing Early Interventions in Qatar: Parents’ Voices

Lara M Saranek,1 Mujahed Shraim,1 Nazim Abdel Aati,2 Ghadir Fakhri Al-Jayyousi1 1Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, QU Health Sector, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 2Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, International Child Development Centers, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Ghadir Fakhri Al-Jayyousi, Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, QU Health Sector, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, Email [email protected]: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that is often associated with mental health comorbidities. Parents are challenged with raising a child diagnosed with ASD. However, research about parental challenges in Arab countries is limited. The study aims to explore parents’ experiences of raising a child with ASD and accessing early interventions provided for their children in Qatar.Methods: An inductive qualitative study design was applied. Data was collected using face-to-face interviews with parents (n=20). Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was employed.Results: The main elicited themes from the analysis were mainly about: challenges of raising a child diagnosed with ASD; parents’ perception of existing ASD services; parents’ perception of mental health services for children diagnosed with ASD; parents’ perception of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ASD services; and the impact of raising a child diagnosed with ASD on parents.Conclusion: Parents face challenges with raising a child diagnosed with ASD and with accessing ASD early intervention services for their children. The findings guide health care professionals working with children with ASD and their families, and policy makers in developing standards of care for ASD service in the governmental facilities in Qatar.Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, ASD service, parent perceptions, barriers, mental health