Design and Validation of an Educational Package Based on the Lived Experiences of Mothers of Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Objective: This study aimed to design and validate a parenting educational package based on the lived experiences of mothers of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder.
Methods and Materials: A qualitative study using the systematic grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin was conducted. The study population included mothers of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder who attended autism centers in Tehran in 2025. Fifteen mothers were selected through purposive homogeneous sampling, and sampling continued until theoretical saturation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews lasting 40–60 minutes. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. Content validity of the interview framework was confirmed by academic supervisors and subject-matter experts. The extracted categories were used to develop a 12-session parenting educational package, and its content validity was reviewed by 10 experts.
Findings: Data analysis yielded 83 key concepts, 16 subcategories, and 7 major themes. The major themes were psychological-behavioral consequences, psychological approach, educational approach, family factors, economic factors, social factors, and environmental factors. Difficulty in social interaction had the highest frequency among extracted concepts. The educational approach was identified as the core category in the axial coding model. The final package included sessions on mother–child challenge analysis, family and causal factors, parental stress management, structured education, social and behavioral skills, positive reinforcement, purposeful play, secure emotional communication, impulsive behavior management, attention and flexibility improvement, parental coordination, and future action planning. Expert evaluation confirmed acceptable content validity, with kappa coefficients above 0.59.
Conclusion: The designed package provides a culturally grounded, experience-based framework for empowering mothers of children with high-functioning autism.
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