3-245 - Atypical Child Development in Zambia, Africa: Parent-Mediated Intervention, Graduate Student Training and Community Stigma

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

The World Health Organization and World Bank stated one billion individuals live with a disability worldwide (2012). Inclusive, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a rising prevalence (CDC, 2014) with an estimated global burden of 52 million cases (Vos et al., 2010). Specific geographical estimates of ASD remain unknown such as in Zambia, Africa leaving under-resourced communities uneducated about disabilities like ASD. Consequently, individuals are stigmatized and lack treatment services. This symposium addresses ASD treatment, education and stigma in an underserved location – Lusaka, Zambia (population: 1.75 million).
This symposium captures the first implemented parent-mediated intervention (PMI) using Project ImPACT for Zambian caregivers (n=19) of children with disabilities (primarily ASD). This is important because there are extensively limited resources for these individuals and their families (Bakare & Munir, 2011). Furthermore, PMIs are linked to sustainability such that training parents lead to better networks, child outcomes and parental outcomes (Stahmer, 2015). Secondly, a training was offered for Zambian graduate students (n=18) on child developmental atypicalities, which is important because they are the rising professionals that can contribute to servicing individuals with ASD. Lastly, this is some of the first research to measure ASD stigma with a diverse sample (caregivers, stakeholders and graduate students; n=40), which is important to provide a holistic profile that ASD stigma is still alive and warrants education to eradicate. Overall, this symposium brings awareness to the limited, needed services for individuals with atypical development (e.g., ASD) in Zambia, addresses the successful magnitude of this project and provides future implications.

Sub Unit

• Developmental Disabilities

Chair

• Angela Barber, University of Alabama

Discussant

• Angela Barber, University of Alabama

Individual Presentations

• First Parent-Mediated Intervention Using Project ImPACT in Zambia: Caregiver Satisfaction and Children’s Developmental Changes - Presenting Author: Jillian Pierucci, St. Mary’s University; Non-Presenting Author: Alexandra Pearson, University of Houston-Clear Lake; Non-Presenting Author: Gabriela Aquino, St. Mary's University; Non-Presenting Author: Monica Perez, University of Notre Dame; Non-Presenting Author: Sylvia Mwanza-Kabaghe, The University of Zambia; Non-Presenting Author: Francis Sichimba, The University of Zambia; Non-Presenting Author: Haatembo Mooya, The University of Zambia

• Stigma of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Lusaka, Zambia, Africa - Presenting Author: Alexandra Pearson, University of Houston-Clear Lake; Non-Presenting Author: Jillian Pierucci, St. Mary’s University; Non-Presenting Author: Gabriela Aquino, St. Mary's University; Non-Presenting Author: Monica Perez, University of Notre Dame; Non-Presenting Author: Sylvia Mwanza-Kabaghe, The University of Zambia; Non-Presenting Author: Francis Sichimba, The University of Zambia; Non-Presenting Author: Haatembo Mooya, The University of Zambia

• Assessing the Knowledge on Developmental Delays and Disabilities of Psychology Graduate Students in Zambia, Africa - Presenting Author: Gabriela Aquino, St. Mary's University; Non-Presenting Author: Jillian Pierucci, St. Mary’s University; Non-Presenting Author: Alexandra Pearson, University of Houston-Clear Lake; Non-Presenting Author: Monica Perez, University of Notre Dame; Non-Presenting Author: Sylvia Mwanza-Kabaghe, The University of Zambia; Non-Presenting Author: Francis Sichimba, The University of Zambia; Non-Presenting Author: Haatembo Mooya, The University of Zambia