María Cecilia Montenegro1, Monica Abdul-Chani2, Daniel Valdez3, Analia Rosoli4, Gabriela Garrido5, Sebastian Cukier6, Cristiane Silvestre Paula7, Ricardo Garcia8, Alexia Rattazzi6, Cecilia Montiel-Nava9. 1. Department of Psychological Science-University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 1201 W University Dr, Edinburg, 78539, TX, United States. 2. Department of Psychology-University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 University Blvd, Birmingham, 35294, AL, United States. 3. Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales Sede Argentina (FLACSO), Tucumán 1966, C1050 AAN, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 4. Organización Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (OEI), Av. Sarasota #20, Torre AIRD, 2do. Piso, 10109, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 5. Universidad de la República, Av. 18 de Julio 1824, 11100, Montevideo, Uruguay. 6. PANAACEA, Domingo Repetto 1145, CP B1640EMQ, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 7. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Distúrbios do Desenvolvimento Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM), Rua da Consolacão, 930 Consolacão, 01302-907, São Paulo, Brazil. 8. Universidad de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo o'Higgins 1058, 8330111. Santiago, Chile. 9. Department of Psychological Science-University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 1201 W University Dr, Edinburg, 78539, TX, United States. Electronic address: cecilia.montielnava@utrgv.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Relationship of perceived stigma and barrier to service access among Latino populations with autism in cross-cultural settings has not been fully explored. AIM: The present study explored the relationship between difficulty accessing services and perceived stigma among caregivers of autistic children in Latin America. Additionally, explore contextual factors that better explain the perception of stigma when accessing services. METHODS AND PROCEDURE: Approximately 2500 caregivers from six Latin American countries completed an online survey. Descriptive inferential analysis and a pointbiserial correlation were conducted to understand direct relationship between difficulty accessing services and perceived stigma and to test their relationship. Added contextual factors contributing to this relationship were examined through a binary logistic regression. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Barriers to accessing services predicted stigma. Contextual factors such as country of residence, frustration experienced by caregivers, gender of autistic child and challenging behaviours had higher odds of experiencing some form of perceived stigma. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These results suggest experiences with stigma to be heavily influenced by environmental factors such cultural differences which in combination with contextual factors could further increase the likelihood of perceiving stigma. When observing stigma within a social-cognitive approach, it is possible that a strong-held adherence to cultural norms, in addition to negative experiences (e.g., frustration) when accessing services, could be influencing caregivers perceived stigma.
BACKGROUND: Relationship of perceived stigma and barrier to service access among Latino populations with autism in cross-cultural settings has not been fully explored. AIM: The present study explored the relationship between difficulty accessing services and perceived stigma among caregivers of autistic children in Latin America. Additionally, explore contextual factors that better explain the perception of stigma when accessing services. METHODS AND PROCEDURE: Approximately 2500 caregivers from six Latin American countries completed an online survey. Descriptive inferential analysis and a pointbiserial correlation were conducted to understand direct relationship between difficulty accessing services and perceived stigma and to test their relationship. Added contextual factors contributing to this relationship were examined through a binary logistic regression. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Barriers to accessing services predicted stigma. Contextual factors such as country of residence, frustration experienced by caregivers, gender of autistic child and challenging behaviours had higher odds of experiencing some form of perceived stigma. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These results suggest experiences with stigma to be heavily influenced by environmental factors such cultural differences which in combination with contextual factors could further increase the likelihood of perceiving stigma. When observing stigma within a social-cognitive approach, it is possible that a strong-held adherence to cultural norms, in addition to negative experiences (e.g., frustration) when accessing services, could be influencing caregivers perceived stigma.