Self-reported psychological disorders among the mothers of children with an autism spectrum disorder, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and typically developed children

Abstract

ObjectivesTo assess the prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among mothers of children of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), type 1 diabetes, and typically developed (TD).Method. The study sample comprised mothers of children with ASD ( Group 1; n = 116), diabetes mellitus (Group 2; n = 43 ), and a control group of mothers with TD children.ResultsBoth groups 1 and 2 had higher scores of depression (37.86), anxiety (4.58), and stress (29.81) in DASS-21 in comparison to control (P = 0.015). On PSS-14 The mean score on PSS-14 were: group 1 (27.61), group 2 (28.63) and control (25.87) (p = 0.004). Group 1 scored higher scores for depression domain (p = 0.046) whereas group 2 for anxiety domain (p = 0.034) and stress domain (p = 0.009) in comparison to TD group on DASS-21.ConclusionMothers of children with ASD should be assessed for the presence of depression following diagnosis. Mothers of children with type 1 diabetes required careful monitoring for the effects of anxiety and stress on their mental health, therefore their ability to cope with a management plan.