Beyond Diagnosis: Caregiver and Service Provider Experiences with Autism Support in the Philippines
Description
ABSTRACT Purpose: Access to autism services in low- and middle-income countries remains underexamined. This study explored the lived experiences of caregivers and service providers as they navigate the challenges and supports within the autism service landscape in the Philippines. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the research examined how sociocultural norms, systemic barriers, and institutional constraints interact to shape engagement with autism care. Methods: Using a qualitative design, six purposely selected caregivers, teachers, and therapists participated in structure interviews. Thematic analysis generated fourteen themes reflecting motivations for service engagement, sociocultural barriers, collaborative supports, systemic limitations, and aspirations for equitable services. Results: Findings demonstrated that while personal commitment drives engagements, entrenched cultural beliefs, socioeconomic disparities, professional underevaluation, and fragmented systems impede consistent care. Participants emphasized the need for decentralized services, standardized professional regulation, stronger government involvement, and sustained public education. Conclusion: Overall, the study underscores the importance of the whole-system reform and culturally grounded approaches to autism services in the Philippines. The study contributes empirical evidence to the growing literature on autism service disparities and underscores the importance of socioculturally informed models of care in underresourced settings.