Parents' perceptions of raising children with autism spectrum disorders in the United States and Arab countries: A comparative review.
Culture shapes what parents need before they can partner with you.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors read 60 papers and compared how parents in Arab countries and the United States raise autistic children.
They looked for themes about money, schools, doctors, and family life.
No new data were collected; the team simply summarized published stories.
What they found
Arab parents said therapy costs are crushing and leaned on prayer for strength.
U.S. parents had more services yet still felt lost in red tape.
Six clear differences emerged: cash strain, religious coping, service gaps, stigma, teacher training, and family support.
How this fits with other research
Rattaz et al. (2014) asked French parents the same question and heard the same tune: nice staff, but no one listens to us.
Wang et al. (2011) surveyed Chinese families and found they plan, plan, plan—Arab families pray, Chinese families plan, U.S. families lobby.
Krafft et al. (2019) talked to U.S. parents of teens and heard the same worry: "Lots of programs, still no roadmap."
The match shows the problem is global—parents want respect and clear steps, not just more flyers.
Why it matters
You may serve Arab and U.S. families in the same week. Expect Arab parents to mention faith first and cost second. Expect U.S. parents to ask about insurance codes and school rights. Build both prayer time and policy handouts into your intake packet. Ask every parent, "What do you wish staff knew about your culture?" Write the answer on the cover of the behavior plan so the whole team sees it first.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Four databases were searched to identify studies published by Arab researchers on parents' perceptions of autism spectrum disorder and studies conducted by US researchers and published in systematic reviews of this topic. The electronic search resulted in 14 studies published by Arab researchers and 55 studies published by US researchers. The results showed that autism spectrum disorder has many of the same effects on Arab and American families. Six major areas were identified in the results. Financial difficulties associated with raising children with autism spectrum disorder were mentioned more in Arab studies than in US studies. Arab studies had more emphasis on gender than US studies. The results related to quality of life of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Arab studies were equivocal. US studies included comparisons with families without a child with autism spectrum disorder, and addressed factors that were associated with quality of life indicators. More health, educational, and social services were available in United States than in Arab countries, but some frustration was reported by US parents in obtaining appropriate services in some studies. A higher percentage of Arab studies mentioned the role of religious faith than US studies. Finally, social stigma was evidenced in both cultures, but not much research was available.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2019 · doi:10.1177/1362361319833929