ABSTRACT:
The main objective of the present research was to investigate the socialization goals and action strategies of mothers who have children with suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Twenty mothers of children with ASD aged from zero to six years, who receive care in a specialized center, participated in this study. For data collection, an interview about socialization goals and a socio-demographic questionnaire were used. For the treatment of the interview data, the Content Analysis technique was used. The results indicated that the category of self-improvement, which is related to autonomy and independence, was significantly the most desired goal of socialization. Regarding action strategies, the most used by the mothers was self-centeredness, which refers to the role of the parents as a model. In this way, the results contribute to the literature of this area and corroborates the importance of clarifying the developmental characteristics of the child with ASD for the parents and how they can act in favor of autonomy of the child. Taking into account the current unexplored view of society regarding ASD, this study aims to provide a rethinking of the strategies that make the child’s quality of life possible.
KEYWORDS:
Special education; Autism; Mothers; Family