Breaking through the walls of innocence: Filipino family relationships with the autistic child

• Main Authors: Ang, Sharleen Mary Ann T., Ching, Melanie Anne L., Mereria, Jocelyn S.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2002
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/11645
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study described the relationship between parents and siblings and the autistic child in the Philippine setting. This reflected how the family members establish and maintain their relationship with the autistic member of the family in terms of communication, ways of support and roles played. In-depth interviews were conducted guided by an unstructured interview guide for gathering data. The research design is non-experimental and is descriptive in nature in which the data gathered were analyzed quantitatively. Purposive-referral was used as a sampling method. Nine families with a diagnosed autistic child ranging in ages of three to twelve years, served as participants in the study. The researchers formed inclusion criteria, a set of characteristics in which all participants must qualify. The autistic child must belong to an intact family, with both parents living together and must at least have one normal sibling. The research results presented similarities and differences within relationships in terms of the manner in which the parents and siblings communicate with the autistic child, show their support and play their roles in rearing the autistic member of the family. The experiences that were defined by parents and siblings from every family such as thoughts, feelings, behaviors and activities with the autistic child included statements that revealed similarities and differences among families regarding family relationships in terms of communication, ways of support, as well as the roles played by each member. Analyses of the findings revealed that non-verbal communication such as gestures, picture cards and sign language strongly prevails in each family. Eventually, some of the autistic children learned to communicate verbally which made the interaction between the family members easier. The ways of showing support and the roles performed by each family members easier. The ways of showing support and the roles performed by each family member are more defined with the parents that with the siblings. With a better understanding of the state or condition of the autistic child and a thorough description of the relationships that exist within the Filipino family, family members would be able to improve on their interaction with the autistic children. Based on the findings, each family member, parent/s and sibling/s have their own way of maintaining relationships and interacting with the autistic child. This leads to the enhancement of the well-being of each family member and draws the Filipino family closer as a whole.