Understanding the Experiences of Bedouin Mothers Raising Children with Autism
In the paper “Listening to Bedouin Mothers of Children with Autism” by Iris Manor-Binyamini and Avihu Shoshana, the mothers’ experiences are analyzed on a case basis for those Bedouin mothers in Israel who have children with autism (Kidron & Kirmayer, 2019). The cultural group that will be studied here is the Bedouin, a traditionally nomadic group of Arab ethnicity that predominantly lives in the deserts of the Middle East with a significant representation in Israel’s Negev region.
The primary developmental problem mentioned in the article is ASD, which stands for autism spectrum disorder. ASD is a condition of the nervous system that is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Understanding and addressing the lack of children with autism within the community of Bedouin brings up unique problems due to the cultural, social, and economic phenomena from which they are influenced.
Bedouin mothers face many obstacles when raising autistic children in their culture (Binyamin & Shoshana, 2023). The authors demonstrate how hidden reality affects subaltern Bedouin women’s experiences. Fear of spouses’ remarriage or divorcing limits Bedouin women’s movement and autonomy, preventing them from socializing. The authors name this “Exclusion within Exclusion,” highlighting the mothers’ many marginalization levels.
In their societies, moms endure stigma, a lack of social support, and loneliness. They also face institutional and cultural barriers to autism knowledge and decision-making for their children. These limits limit their ability to manage their child’s issues effectively. The essay discusses culturally different systems and Bedouin moms’ struggles with raising autistic children. It emphasizes the need for Bedouin families with autistic children to receive context-specific, culture-sensitive therapies and care.
Beliefs and Perspectives of the Article
The findings of the title book, “Listening to Bedouin Mothers of Children with Autism,” shed light on the belief system and worldviews of Bedouin mothers in Israel concerning the upbringing of a child with autism. Using a semi-structured ethnographic interview with 18 Bedouin mothers in the recognized and unrecognized settlements in the Negev, we identify the specific difficulties that these mothers experience in making sense of and managing the symptoms of their children with autism within the cultural and societal norms.
Firstly, autism in Bedouin mothers is perceived differently when viewed through cultural and social contexts. The subalternity of Bedouin women limits their roles in the community, which shapes these women’s experiences (Huss & Bos, 2022). The constant threat of divorce or the possibility of polygamy that takes away the husbands from them creates this imbalance that is against the interests of the mothers. These mothers become mobile and engage in public life individually. “Exclusion within Exclusion” worsens their difficult situation as they attempt to understand the development issues.
Adding to this, the mothers express being confronted with discrimination, social isolation, and a lack of support networks, which are more barriers to their loneliness and marginalization. Structural and cultural barriers additionally worsen the situation, as children with autism rarely have access to the information as well as their involvement in the decision-making concerning their child. These constraints significantly impede their powers to make decisions and act on the most effective strategies for addressing and handling their child’s developmental needs.
Erikson’s Stages of Development and Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development are used to evaluate Bedouin mothers’ development (Awawdi, 2022). Since her married life and social status are constantly threatened, the status quo may have undermined her autonomy and self-worth. In Erikson’s theory, identity, and purpose construction against such enemies might hinder psychological development and resilience.
Piaget emphasizes self-perception and cognitive development to explain children’s growth. How a woman sees herself in family and society may affect her capacity to nurture her child cognitively and emotionally. Their involuntary confinement and inadequate resources may prevent them from participating in meaningful affiliations and interventions that support their child’s cognitive development and environmental adaptation (Papadopoulos, 2021). While raising an autistic kid, Bedouin moms also consider diet, lactation, sex, and reproduction. Limited access to resources and health care for moms and children may affect their nutritional health, which can worsen autism spectrum disorder (ASD) development.
Bedouin mothers raising autistic children have a complex mosaic of behavioral models influenced by cultural, socioeconomic, and structural variables. They are discriminated against by their communities and subject to societal conventions and restraints, which shape their opinions on their children’s developmental concerns. Understanding and tackling these complex issues at the junction of cultural scripts, familial ties, and development frameworks requires a broad perspective. Society must empower Bedouin women and their children with autism and provide the appropriate resources. The cultural approach should be respectful to the tribe so that members can thrive.
Analysis of the Healthy People 2030 Goal
A Healthy People 2030 target related to the article’s developmental issue is “EH 05. This objective emphasizes ASD diagnosis for children by 36 months to improve long-term results and quality of life. Culture and Bedouin attitudes in Israel can significantly enhance this goal (Ebi et al., 2020). Bedouin women are subordinate and cannot travel without men, as shown in the article. Cultural prejudice may make it hard for parents to spot behavioral indicators, leading to a late autism diagnosis. Bedouin parents may struggle to identify and get early developmental therapies for their children due to societal stigma, prejudice, a lack of social support, and little agency.
Furthermore, cultural patterns and norms among Bedouin societies are also present in determining attitudes and disability perceptions. Families could be affected by not seeking a diagnosis and early intervention services due to fear of stigmatization and a lack of understanding of autism in the broader community. Moreover, cultural ideas on predestination and divine intervention can have an impact on the way adults think about medical or therapeutic interventions as treatments for ASD.
The strategies to accomplish the Healthy People 2030 goal EH 05 and deal with the challenges and barriers to promoting health in Bedouin communities are a combination of culturally sensitive and community-based approaches to early detection and intervention. Collaboration among medical service providers, community leaders, and culturally connected people would be essential in resolving the issues of misunderstanding, eliminating stigma, and encouraging acceptance of developmental disorders. Mission-oriented outreach programs, mass education, and accessible healthcare services geared towards the culture of Bedouin mothers can help them overcome all barriers and support the developmental issues of autism spectrum disorder in children. This ultimately leads to earlier diagnosis and intervention.
References
Awawdi, H. H. (2022). Coaching psychology: the effect of coaching values in forming Arab teens’ personal and collective self-esteem in Israel (Doctoral dissertation, Middlesex University).
Binyamini, I. M., & Shoshana, A. (2023). “I wanted to be a bride, not a wife”: Accounts of child marriage in the Bedouin community in Israel. Transcultural psychiatry, 60(2), 357–367.
Ebi, K. L., Harris, F., Sioen, G. B., Wannous, C., Anyamba, A., Bi, P.,… & Capon, A. (2020). Transdisciplinary research priorities for human and planetary health in the context of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(23), 8890.
Huss, E., & Bos, E. (Eds.). (2022). Social Work Research Using Arts-Based Methods. Policy Press.
Kidron, C. A., & Kirmayer, L. J. (2019). Global mental health and idioms of distress: The paradox of culture-sensitive pathologization of distress in Cambodia. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 43, 211-235.
Papadopoulos, D. (2021). Examining the relationships among cognitive ability, domain-specific self-concept, and behavioral self-esteem of gifted children aged 5–6 years: A cross-sectional study Behavioral Sciences, 11(7), 93.
write