Mothers' opınıns about the effect of problem behavıors exhıtbıted by children dıagnosıs of autısm spectrum dısorder on theır developmental areas

This study aims to determine the views of mothers on the effects of problem behaviors exhibited by children with ASD in early childhood on developmental areas. The study was conducted using phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods. The data of the study were collected through semi-structured interviews and a researcher's diary. The participants of the study consisted of 12 mothers who had children with ASD in early childhood. The data obtained from the interviews with the mothers were analyzed by the researcher using the content analysis method. According to the resarch findings, the mothers stated that they mostly encountered motor and vocal stereotypic behaviors along with harmful behaviors, crying, and tantrums. The mothers emphasized that they mostly preferred to touch their children with speech to cope with these behaviors. During the learning of a cognitive behavior, children are disinterested in learning. In the development of language skills, difficulties such as not being able to initiating communication and not being able to acquire language skills are thought to be related to problem behaviors. The striking negative effect of problem behaviors on the development of social skills was the inability to interact with peers. In motor development, limitations were observed mostly in fine motor skills. The skill that is difficult in adaptive skills is toilet skills. In daily life, mothers isolate themselves from society due to problem behaviors. The resarch has concluded that the problem behaviors exhibited by children with ASD have negative effects on early developmental areas.