Seeking Early Intervention Services for Young Children with Autism: Chinese Parents’ Lived Experiences in Beijing and New York City
Abstract
Early intervention has a significant impact on the development of children with autism, in which parents’ roles are critical. Informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Cognitive Theory, and Health Belief Model, this phenomenological study aimed to understand Chinese parents’ early intervention experiences in Beijing and New York City (NYC). One-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 parents in Beijing and 10 first-generation Chinese immigrant parents in NYC whose child had autism and were under 9 years old. The findings revealed that parents in Beijing strove to meet their children’s early intervention needs in the absence of social services, while parents in NYC faced the gaps between professional support and their expectations within existing social service systems. The comparison highlighted the influence of social policies, Chinese culture, and acculturation in the U.S. Social work professionals are expected to adopt a holistic perspective and develop competencies across support areas.
Subject Area
Clinical psychology|Individual & family studies|Social work
Recommended Citation
Wang, Xiaoran, "Seeking Early Intervention Services for Young Children with Autism: Chinese Parents’ Lived Experiences in Beijing and New York City" (2021). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI28490207.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI28490207
