Cultural barriers and parental stress: The Southeast Asian American parental experience raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder

When considering how all parents cope with having a child with ASD, it is critical to evaluate the impact of cultural barriers and values. ASD is defined as a neurological disorder and is characterized by deficits in communication, impairment in social interaction, and the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. This clinical dissertation explores the experience of Southeast Asian American parents' experience of having a child with ASD. By identifying the gaps in the literature and the unique challenges faced by Southeast Asian American parents, this clinical dissertation raises awareness about the adversities and lack of outreach related to therapy services to Southeast Asian parents of children with ASD. In general Southeast Asian immigrant populations frequently encounter challenges seeking mental-health care services because of critical sociocultural and sociopolitical issues such as financial limitations, language barriers, history of trauma, health disparities and acculturative stress. Thus, parental stressors are exacerbated due to the increasing difficulties of raising a child with ASD. Due to these circumstances, these parents may experience increased stress, become very frustrated, and report feelings of hopelessness. Intervention models emphasizing empowerment and seeking to inform Southeast Asian parents of their right to access mental health care service are recommended in the literature. Future research should investigate methods to increase access to information and resources that are culturally and linguistically appropriate, build supportive environments, increase promotion of community action, and foster diverse training for mental health professionals working with this population.