The Child Development Centre in Thiruvananthapuram has secured a ₹35 lakh grant from the Indian Council of Medical Research for a three-year project. The work aims to build and test a culturally grounded tool for measuring grief in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
What the project is designed to measure
The study, titled "Development and Validation of a Tool for Assessing Grief among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders," is led by CDC director Deepa Bhaskaran. Its goal is a measurement instrument that reflects how grief is understood and expressed in Indian families, rather than one imported without adjustment.
According to Dr. Bhaskaran, parents often move through shock, denial, fear, guilt, anger, sadness and helplessness after a diagnosis. She describes this as chronic sorrow or non-finite grief, which can return at different stages of a child's development, especially when expected milestones are delayed.
How the research will be conducted
Researchers plan to use focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Participants will include parents of children with ASD, bereaved parents, professionals who work with autistic children and members of the general public. The team hopes to map both the dimensions of grief and the cultural ways it is voiced.
Why the findings could matter for families
Dr. Bhaskaran said the results should help identify grief-related concerns early and guide the design of grief counselling protocols and support group programs. She linked this work to better psychosocial well-being for families. She also noted that inadequate social support makes parental distress worse.
- Clinicians are urged to assess parents' emotional health alongside a child's rehabilitation needs.
- Early diagnosis, psychological support and training for professionals in recognizing grief are described as essential.
Limits of the current announcement
The project is at an early stage. Its value will depend on whether the tool proves reliable and valid once it is tested, and no outcomes have been reported yet.