Parental Perception of Social Communication Difficulties among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Impaired social communication is one of the most prevalent signs in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children who are diagnosed with ASD may exhibit a wide range of social communication challenges, depending on the severity of the disorder. Their engagement could be affected and it can become more challenging for them to interact with their siblings and parents at home if they lack interaction. This study aimed to explore how parents perceive the social communication difficulties that their children with ASD face. Ten parents of children with ASD were interviewed in a semi-structured manner. The interview data was transcribed using Atlas.ti. The results of the study showed some typical characteristics in social communication associated with children with ASD challenges, such as behavioral issues, communication difficulties, gestural prompts, Theory of Mind (ToM), and approaches to enhance social communication amongst children with ASD. Parents who participated in the study recommended putting some strategies into practice at the school to help children with ASD develop their social communication abilities.