Explaining and selecting treatments for autism: parental explanatory models in Taiwan.

Lotus and colleagues talked with Taiwanese parents who have a child with autism. They asked how the parents explain the disorder and how those beliefs shape the treatments they pick.

The team used open interviews. Parents described mixing medical ideas with folk or religious causes. The study mapped how these blended views steer families toward many different therapies at once.

Parents rarely stick to one story. They may say autism is brain-based and also karma or ancestral upset. Holding both views feels natural to them.

Because no single cause feels complete, parents pile on services. They try special diets, pills, temple visits, and ABA in the same week. The load leaves them tired and confused.

Chao et al. (2018) extend these findings. They show the same parents move through five clear steps from first worry to final acceptance. Knowing the steps lets you predict when parents will be most open to evidence-based care.

Amore et al. (2011) replicate the link in a survey. Parents who blame food or trauma skip behavior therapy more often. The pattern is no longer just Taiwanese; it appears across cultures.

Shorey et al. (2020) sweep up the Lotus paper in a big review. Their six-domain frame lists "collective belief systems" as a core stress point. The 2010 study is one vivid example inside that larger picture, not a stand-alone oddity.

If you only teach brain-based facts, you may lose families who also trust folk ideas. Ask one simple question: "What do you think caused your child's autism?" Listen without judgment. Then show how ABA can fit beside, not replace, their cultural views. This small step keeps parents engaged and reduces the chaotic service pile-up Lotus described.