Parent Perceptions of Museum Participation: A Comparison Between Parents of Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorders
Abstract This study aims to add to the body of knowledge on the experiences of families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with the goal of promoting increased participation in community activities. Five factors associated with participation in activities at an art museum were explored, comparing families of children with and without ASD. These factors included both children's frequency of participation and parents' perceptions of the importance of community activities. The differences between groups were statistically significant. Parents of children without ASD reported their children's frequency of participation in museum activities was three times more than parents of children with ASD. Parents of children with ASD reported experiencing three times as many negative emotions associated with museum activities than parents of children without ASD.