Parental Experiences in the Sultanate of Oman

Background:

Although we are aware that autism impacts children across the world, there is little research focusing on parental experiences from countries outside Europe and the English speaking world. This study focused particularly on the experiences of parents living in the Sultanate of Oman. As autism is not recognised as a separate condition in the country, this research shows the unique differences that these parents experience.

Objectives:

• To understand parental understanding of autism and its causes.
• To understand parental experiences of accessing services to support themselves and their children on the autism spectrum.

Methods:

The research used semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Altogether 24 interviews and focus groups were conducted with parents across the country. Both mothers and fathers were interviewed. Parents had children across a wide range of ages. All the interviews were conducted in Arabic with an interpreter. The data was then analysed using thematic coding.

Results:

The results indicate that parents in the country have a wide range of perceptions with regards to characteristics of autism and its causes. While some parents attribute autism to fate and religious interpretations, others had a more scientific understanding of the condition. A number of difficulties in accessing services right from getting a diagnosis, to appropriate education and vocational options have been mentioned by the parents. They also mentioned about the lack of knowledge amongst professionals about the condition which made seeking support especially difficult for them. The research also found some unique barriers which are presented by the geography of the country where some communities live in small communities.

Conclusions:

This research reiterates some of the experiences and issues recorded in existing research on the topic from other parts of the world. It also highlights the need to develop services which address the cultural, social and economic realities of the country where the families live, and how the existing principles of good practice in autism may need to be adapted to meet these needs.