Resilience of a caregiver of a child with autism spectrum disorder in resource-constrained contexts

Abstract

Knowledge regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in resource-constrained contexts is profoundly minimal. This is alarming because approximately 90% of individuals living with ASD reside in low- to middle-income contexts. Caregivers of children with ASD experience significant stressors and challenges, which may predispose them to psychological difficulties. Therefore, it was beneficial to investigate the resilience factors that allowed caregivers to remain resilient in the continued care of their children with ASD. A descriptive case study design provided an in-depth understanding of the resilience of such a caregiver. Purposeful sampling involving a participant from previous research, a 29-year old mother of two, who resided in a resource-constrained context, was utilised as the initially proposed sampling was impossible to perform owing to the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa at the time. The data collection protocol included one telephonic semi-structured interview at the convenience of the participant. Inductive thematic analysis of the results indicated that the participant experienced unique challenges that placed her resilience at risk, such as limited knowledge, finances and access to healthcare, and also unique resilience-enabling factors such as online social resources.