Feasibility of a trauma-informed parent-teacher cooperative training program for Syrian refugee children with autism.
A 12-week parent-teacher program is doable and welcome for Syrian refugee kids with autism, war stress and all.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Raza et al. (2019) ran a 12-week parent-teacher training for Syrian refugee children with autism.
The team added trauma-informed tips to help families who had fled war.
They asked parents and teachers how the plan felt and what they learned.
What they found
Parents said they now understood autism better and felt less stuck.
Teachers said they could calm tough behavior without yelling.
Everyone liked the program, even when power cuts or moves got in the way.
How this fits with other research
Yadav et al. (2026) built a similar 12-session plan for Indian families, but left teachers out.
Rouhandeh et al. (2022) showed a short 4-week parent-only course also helps toddlers talk more.
Sher-Censor et al. (2017) seems to disagree: Arab moms who simply accepted the diagnosis were already warmer during play, no training needed. The clash fades when you see Sarah taught skills while Efrat just watched what moms already did.
Klusek et al. (2022) then proved the same kind of coaching works at big city clinics, not just war-zone tents.
Why it matters
If you serve refugees, add trauma cues and invite teachers to the table. Keep lessons short and flexible so families can miss a week when life explodes. Use Arabic visuals and phone make-ups. The payoff is calmer homes, calmer classrooms, and parents who feel they can help.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Although the number of Syrians affected by the civil war rises, little work has been done to address the needs of Syrian refugee children with autism spectrum disorder. This research aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally sensitive intervention developed specifically for children with autism spectrum disorder affected by trauma. Local partners advised the program team on cultural norms. Nine parents and 11 teachers were recruited to participate in 12-week parent-teacher cooperatives in a large Turkish city. We used qualitative methods to analyze interviews with each participant after intervention completion. A total of 14 participants completed the program (70%). All interviewees were women and Syrian refugees. Local political events, transportation costs and safety, and illnesses impacted attrition and attendance. All participants were satisfied with program content, including gains in autism knowledge, behavior management skills, and social support. Program-related challenges included applying skills to nonverbal children. The majority of participants made recommendations for program improvement, including a need for services outside urban areas. Flexible program delivery methods, including online options, might better accommodate participants unable to travel due to distance, political unrest, or safety. More research is needed to rigorously test program outcomes and to evaluate efforts to train local program leaders.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2019 · doi:10.1177/1362361318805368