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Maori Perspectives of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Report to the Ministry of Education
J. Bevan-Brown
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate Maori perspectives of Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This was done by consulting with the parents and whanau of 19 Maori children with ASD. In face-to-face interviews, people shared stories of raising their children. They noted what had been both helpful and unhelpful and offered suggestions for how services could be improved in the future. While parents described many people, services and strategies that had been helpful over the years, they also outlined numerous barriers they had experienced including delays in diagnosis; disbelief and detrimental attitudes; lack of information, services, funding and qualified personnel; difficulty accessing services; assessment, organisational, system and procedural hassles; and financial strain. Suggestions for overcoming barriers included an increase in the provision of culturally appropriate, effective assessment, teaching and ASD-related services. A need for professionals to improve their understanding of ASD and Mãoritanga was also identified. In addition, the research revealed that Maori children with ASD were being "culturally disadvantaged" in that the nature of this disorder limited their involvement in culturally valued processes and activities.
Key words
Maori, Special Needs, Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Culturally Appropriate Programmes and Service Provision.
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