Stress Resolution in Mothers of Autism Spectrum Children: An Efficacy Study of Healthy Lifestyle Practices

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disorder of developmental disability that affects not only the child but their parents too. These children need support in routine chores, education, and rehabilitation that are permanent stressors of mothers with ASD children. Present research is an effort to understand these stressors of mothers with an efficacy study of healthy practices in daily life routine. This research aimed to improve the life of ASD children’s mother through daily life style practices. Study was based on pre-posttest quasi experimental research design and purposive sampling technique to select the sample of mothers with ASD children. Perceived stress scale was used as pre and posttest task. Six weeks’ intervention plan of daily life practices were scheduled according to mother’s availability which contained guidelines related to healthy food, importance of nocturnal sleep, physical activity, stress management, social connection, and spirituality. Sessions were conducted individually with one-week gap. Results revealed significant positive impact of this plan on mother’s perceived stress. Mothers of ASD children reported low levels of stress after the modification of their daily life practices. Finding further elucidates the importance of healthy life practices as coping skill to omit permanent stressors.

Parental Stress and Coping Mechanisms in Families with Children on The Autism Spectrum

“…Psychosocial programs have been found to have a positive effect on parents' knowledge, stress levels, and coping strategies [8] . Family adaptability and cohesion have been shown to influence parental stress, with higher levels of family adaptability leading to reduced stress through increased parental selfefficacy [9] .…”