South Asian Muslim Immigrant Religious Beliefs & Autism

Jegatheesan, B., Miller, P. J., & Fowler, S. A. (2010). Autism from a Religious Perspective: A Study of Parental Beliefs in South Asian Muslim Immigrant Families. Focus On Autism And Other Developmental Disabilities, 25(2), 98-109.

Islam views of disability. Like individuals of the LDS faith, Muslim parents have expressed a feeling of gratitude when responding to questions about having a child with a disability, autism specifically.  They believe that Allah, their god, sent the child with special abilities and needs to their family.  According to these parents, Allah selected them based on their “moral character, loving nature, and resilience; their ability to protect the child; and their fate or Karmic connection to the child” (Jegatheesan, Miller, & Fowler, 2010, p. 101).  The parents of the Muslim faith felt honored to be the parents of a child with special needs

South Indians Perspectives on Disability

Lang, R. (2001, June). Understanding disability from a South Indian perspective. Paper presented at the 14^th Annual Meeting of the Disability Studies Association, Winnipeg, Canada. Retrieved from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lc-ccr/lccstaff/raymond-lang/understanding_disability_in_india.pdf

Perceptions of disabilities vary in India from regarding disability as a result of sin to viewing it as a blessing and a challenge meant to be overcome in this life to attain a greater state of being in the next.  In a study by Lang (2001), 70 people with disabilities in urban areas in India expressed positive attitudes about having disabilities.  Researchers also hypothesized that this could be a result of living in urban areas where eastern philosophies (karma) are not as commonly accepted as western philosophies regarding disabilities.  Also, urban areas have a higher likelihood of having received disability awareness trainings (Lang, p. 297).  However, in this same study, karma was still reported as a religious explanation for cause of disabilities, which again puts the blame on the person with the disability or their parents for having committed sin in a previous life.  Even though karma is commonly accepted as an explanation for disability, the understanding of karma can very greatly from one person to the next.   

Religiousity & Autism

Ekas, N.V., Whitman, T.L., Shivers, C. Religiosity, spirituality, and socioemotional functioning in mothers of children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 706-719. doi: 10.1007/s10803-008-0673-4

Again, it is important to consider the positive outcomes associated with the way people can better cope and find meaning when working with people with disabilities as a result of religion.  In a study of mothers of children with autism and spirituality and religiosity, mothers were found to have greater “life satisfaction, life enjoyment, positive affect, self-esteem, overall well-being, optimism and locus of control” (Ekas, Whitman, & Shivers, 2008. p. 7).  Religion positively affects parents of children with autism.  This is true of a study conducted in the United States, how is it at Karuna Home in India?