Cultural Capital and Decision-Making: Autism Service Choices Among Immigrant Parents

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:45 am - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Social emotional development in diverse contexts

Abstract

This qualitative study examines how immigrant parents of children with autism use various forms of cultural capital to navigate U.S. special education systems. Based on interviews with 13 first-generation caregivers, reveals how embodied, objectified, and institutionalized cultural resources shape advocacy and service choices. Parents’ prior training and cultural values influence how they interpret disability and interact with professionals. While English fluency and familiarity with therapies are often recognized, other assets, such as cultural humility and lived experience, are often undervalued. The study advocates for more equitable and culturally responsive policies that recognize immigrant families as knowledgeable participants in navigating complex systems.

Authors

• Hui Zhang, University of Toledo

• Sabiha Sultana, University of California - Santa Barbara