CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), mostly used term is autism, “a chronic disorder whose symptoms include failure to develop normal social relations with other people, impaired development of communicative ability, lack of imaginative ability, and repetitive, stereotyped movements” (Carlson, 2007, p. 594). A person with autism does not exactly have the same personalities. For example, some autistic children care about their primary caregivers’ attention towards them and others doesn’t. It is estimated that there is 1 in every 160 children globally that has autism according to World Health Organization (2013). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) estimated that there is one
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However, a person being involved in a child with autism becomes more stressed than the typical caregivers which takes care of an ordinary child. Autism is not just a disease but a serious disorder that begins during childhood stage that causes problems in relationships. It requires an indispensable care, brave heart and patience to fulfill the love for autistic children. This estimated number of autism cases in children shows that there is a high number of primary caregivers that are facing unique challenges in caring for the child. It is said that the primary caregivers of a child with autism is the mother (Fletcher, Markoulakis, & Bryden, 2012; Gill & Liamputtong, 2009, 2011; Gray ,2003; Kimura, Yamazaki, Mochizuki, & Omiya, 2010; Markoulakis, Fletcher, & Bryden, 2012). This study aims to explore the experiences of primary caregivers in raising a child with autism.
Theoretical Framework Having little background about autism does not help us to fully understand what autism does to their primary caregivers. Listening to different caregivers’ stories about taking care of a child with autism made us curious in knowing the experiences that they