Status of Social Participation among Parents of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects children’s social interaction, communication, and behavior, while also imposing significant emotional, social, and financial burdens on parents. Parents of children and adolescents with ASD frequently experience high stress, reduced social participation, and limited environmental support. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of social participation among parents of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 120 parents of children diagnosed with ASD, selected using a purposive sampling technique where children aged 5–18 years receiving service. The Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities scale along with a self-developed sociodemographic questionnaire was used. Mann–Whitney U test along with Kruskal–Wallis H test examined associations and significant variables were further analyzed using linear regression. Result: Most parents (60.0%) had moderate social limitation with mild participation, while 20.0% showed mild limitation with moderate participation and 13.3% had severe limitation with very low participation. Linear regression showed that religion significantly influenced APSRA mean score, with higher scores among Hindu and Christian children than the reference group. Conclusion: Parents of children and adolescents with ASD experience notable limitations in social participation, often accompanied by stress and reduced social engagement. Enhancing parental social participation through targeted interventions. Keywords: Social participation, ASD, Parents, Neurodevelopmental condition.