Personality and Post-traumatic Growth in Fathers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Summary Aim. The aim of the study was to identify predictors of post-traumatic growth (PTG) in fathers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to compare the results with those of mothers of children with ASD. Method. Fifty-two fathers of children with ASD participated in the study. The following psychometric tools were applied: NEO-FFI by Costa, and McCrae; PSS-10 by Cohen, Kamarck and Mermelstein; Brief-COPE by Carver; Positive Orientation Scale in Polish adaptation by Laguna, Oleś and Filipiuk; GQ-6 by Kossakowska and Kwiatek; PTGI Inventory in Polish adaptation by Ogińska-Bulik and Juczyński. Time since a child’s ASD diagnosis was controlled. Results. Compared to mothers, fathers of children with ASD demonstrated similar levels of PTG, higher levels of neuroticism and openness, and lower levels of extraversion, along with more mature strategies for coping with stress. The largest number of correlations for fathers was noted in the scale openness to experience. Conclusions. Some fathers of children with ASD took active measures that led to PTG. It is suggested that, following the child's ASD diagnosis, adaptation programmes for fathers be designed: workshops in stress management skills, skill acquisition, trauma therapy or self-therapy.