Coping strategies adopted by caregivers of children with autism in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.

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.