Managing Puberty among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parents’ Voices about a Less Explored Transition

Abstract

Puberty presents unique challenges for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families, yet there’s a dearth of research exploring parental perspectives on issues in puberty. This condition is more challenging in a country like Pakistan where awareness, acceptance and support for managing ASD is a lifelong challenge for parents. This research aims to explore the experiences of parents while their children undergo puberty in terms of challenges, access and coping resources, and perceptions. A quantitative approach employed a structured questionnaire to assess 100 parents of children aged from 10 to 18 who had ASD. The findings revealed that most parents experience difficulties in three main themes: the changes in the physical body, sensory sensitivity of children, and the resources for necessary support. Most parents feel confident and effective in communicating, but the competition with puberty continues to be an issue. Findings from this study point out the need for well-designed support systems and interventions for families during this critical period in their child's life.