Research Information System
23RD RESEARCH WORLD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, Bacelona, Spain, 9 - 10 December 2016, vol.1, no.161, pp.12-15
Autism hasn’t been a problem effecting only the autistic individuals but has also become a social phenomenon
affecting the family's economic situation. Thus, it has been wide open for sociological studies and has been the subject in
this research. This study, conducted as a field survey including autistic individuals in Turkey, aims to put forward “The
Effects of Autism on Economic Status of Family". This research is a qualitative research based on interviews with a total of
42 participants who are the families of autistic children and serve on the boards of two foundations and 15 associations from
Turkey's seven regions and 14 provinces aiming to fight with autism. The knowledge, manners, experiences and basic
perception and approaches of the participants having autistic children have been consulted to in the study. The data obtained
from participants has been analysed and subjected to descriptive analysis. The data obtained has been evaluated in 7 different
categories. Findings; it has been found that autism has negative effects on the economic situation of families, has preventing
any new investments of families, has lead to buying specific services of family and affects the business lives of families.
Therefore, this study is a considerably original work in terms of addressing an issue barely analysed in sociological context,
collecting first-hand data and reaching striking findings and data. Moreover, it has been an important study as it indicates the
presence of a deep link between autism and sociology.