Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Snakes and Ladders: Barriers and Facilitators Experienced by Immigrant Families when Accessing an Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

Published inJournal of developmental and physical disabilities, vol. 31, no. 4, p. 519-539
Publication date2019-01-22
First online date2019-01-22
Abstract

There presently exists limited information or studies on means to support immigrant families as they attempt to access quality services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An ASD diagnosis is the gateway to support services and adapted interventions. Yet, studies show that immigrant families typically experience longer delays in obtaining a diagnosis and more challenges in gaining access to services. Twenty-four families who immigrated to Québec (Canada) participated in semi-structured interviews in which they listed the obstacles and facilitators encountered in their service trajectory to obtain a diagnosis for their child. Families’ attitudes toward ASD, as a function of native culture, and their advice to other families in a similar situation are were also reported. Obstacles most often mentioned by participants were the waiting period for diagnostic services, feelings of social isolation, and a lack of professionals’ knowledge about ASD. Parental advocacy, the competency and expertise of the professionals who conducted the evaluation, and parental education and awareness of ASD were the most frequently named facilitators. Finally, the most common recommendations made to other parents were to be persistent and proactive. In light of these reported experiences and perceptions, a series of clinical recommendations are provided to guide ASD evaluation practices in multicultural communities.

Keywords
  • Obstacles
  • Facilitators
  • Immigrant families
  • Diagnosis trajectory
  • Autism spectrum disorder
Affiliation entities Not a UNIGE publication
Citation (ISO format)
RIVARD, Mélina et al. Snakes and Ladders: Barriers and Facilitators Experienced by Immigrant Families when Accessing an Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis. In: Journal of developmental and physical disabilities, 2019, vol. 31, n° 4, p. 519–539. doi: 10.1007/s10882-018-9653-6
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
Identifiers
Journal ISSN1056-263X
99views
778downloads

Technical informations

Creation18/09/2023 14:38:04
First validation03/11/2023 11:14:56
Update21/11/2025 10:44:51
Status update21/11/2025 10:44:51
Last indexation21/11/2025 10:47:04
All rights reserved by Archive ouverte UNIGE and the University of GenevaunigeBlack