Being the mother of a child with Asperger's syndrome: women's experiences of stigma

Abstract

In this article, we explore the experience of stigma amongst mothers of children who have Asperger's Syndrome (AS). Fifteen women participated in in-depth interviews; six produced a solicited diary that offered a more in-depth insight into the experiences of stigma amongst these mothers. We employed thematic analysis to analyze the data. We found that mothers perceived themselves to be stigmatized specifically in the school and community environments. Participants also compared their own experiences of stigma with other families with physically disabled children. Several strategies were established by these mothers in order to allow them to deal with this stigma better.