Authors:

Abigail Roytburd

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About Paper:

This study sought to examine how cultural stigma and caregiving expectations shape the experiences of parents of children with autism in Italy and South Korea. By comparing policies, medical models, parental stress, and perceptions of blame across two cultural contexts, the study aimed to generate insights into how societal attitudes influence parents as advocates in their child's treatment. Data collection took place in both countries, where surveys were distributed to two Italian and four South Korean parents of children with autism through local ASD resource centers. The survey was designed based on the Beach Centre Family Quality of Life Scale (Alshaigi et al., 2020) and the Self-Stigmatizing Thinking's Automaticity and Repetition Scale. In Italy, a neurodevelopmental psychiatrist and psychoanalyst was interviewed, while in Seoul, two licensed social workers specializing in behavioral therapy were interviewed. Interviews addressed available public services, parental stress, gendered caregiving burdens, and broader systemic challenges. A literature review of peer-reviewed articles published after 2012 contextualized findings within each country, focusing on parental stigma, caregiving stress, diagnostic accessibility, and societal attitudes toward autism. Due to the small sample size, survey data were insufficient to determine whether self-stigma and enacted stigma directly affected parents. However, literature and interviews suggested that many Italian parents felt responsible as "co-therapists," whereas South Korean parents more commonly described an expert-driven medical model. Experiences of social exclusion, loneliness, and unequal caregiving burdens were reported across contexts, with mothers experiencing higher levels of stress and self-blame. Findings suggest that societies emphasizing social conformity may create additional barriers to inclusion, while more socially flexible contexts may foster greater acceptance. Continued cross-cultural research with larger parent samples is needed to further examine these dynamics across diverse global settings.

Source:

Loyola University Chicago

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Co-authors:

Abigail Roytburd