Differences in needs and availability of healthcare, education and social protection between school-age children and youth with autistic spectrum disorder and their families in Serbia

ObjectivesIndividuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families are often faced with barriers of service accessibility, stigmatization and lack of support. The study aimed to map available support services for youth with ASD and their families in Serbia, as well as to determine whether there are differences during childhood and adolescence/young adulthood.MethodsThe current study included parents/caregivers of adolescents and young adults with ASD (n = 85). We compared the results from the current study, with those from the previous study done in a sample of parents/caregivers of school-age children with ASD (n = 231). Both studies used The Caregiver Needs Survey. The subjects included in the current study were recruited from the database of the Institute for Mental Health in Belgrade.ResultsIn the period of adolescence/young adulthood, there is a decrease in the use of most support services, while pharmacotherapy becomes the primary treatment modality. A significantly smaller percentage of parents/caregivers receive information via the Internet, which may indicate an improvement in communication between doctors and families in Serbia.ConclusionsIn Serbia, there have been improvements, but there is still a need for further development of an organized family-oriented approach, early interventions and strength interventions for youth with ASD.