The Route of Stress in Parents of Young Children with and without Autism: A Path-Analysis Study

Leonardi, Elisa; Cerasa, Antonio; Servidio, Rocco; Costabile, Angela; Famà, Francesca Isabella; Carrozza, Cristina; Spadaro, Letteria; Scifo, Renato; Baieli, Sabrina; Aiello, Stefania; Marino, Flavia; Tartarisco, Gennaro; Vagni, David; Pioggia, Giovanni; Ruta, Liliana

doi:10.3390/ijerph182010887

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…Inter-rater correlations for the Total score are 0.52–0.96 [ 49 ]. PSI has been translated into several languages and has been frequently used in ASD research [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study on Prevalence, Distribution and Clinical Features in an Italian Sample

Fucà

Guerrera

Valeri

et al. 2023

JCM

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This study investigated the prevalence and distribution of psychiatric comorbidities in a group of 472 children and adolescents with ASD aged 3–18 years. We examined differences in age, sex, IQ, adaptive skills, and ASD symptom severity by comparing participants with ASD (ASD group) with participants with ASD and a psychiatric disorder (ASD/PSY group). Overall, 32.2% of participants had a comorbid psychiatric condition. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was the most frequent diagnosis among preschoolers (20.4%); among school-age children, ADHD and anxiety/obsessive-compulsive disorders were the most frequent conditions (21% and 10.6%, respectively); finally, adolescents exhibit higher prevalence of anxiety/obsessive-compulsive disorders (21.8%). The ASD/PSY group showed a higher percentage of males, they were older and showed lower adaptive skills than the group with ASD; moreover, their mothers exhibited higher stress levels than mothers of participants in the ASD group. The comparison between age groups in participants within ASD/PSY group revealed that preschoolers had lower IQ than school-age children and adolescents, and worse adaptive skills, more repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests than adolescents. This study highlights the importance of an accurate diagnosis of psychiatric comorbidities in children and adolescents with ASD, also considering individual and family impairment.

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“…Inter-rater correlations for the Total score are 0.52–0.96 [ 49 ]. PSI has been translated into several languages and has been frequently used in ASD research [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study on Prevalence, Distribution and Clinical Features in an Italian Sample

Fucà

Guerrera

Valeri

et al. 2023

JCM

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“…Children with DDs have long-term and specialized needs in terms of special education, individual treatments, and healthcare provision and were at risk of hospitalization during the pandemic outbreak [13]. Additionally, the intensity of child-externalizing behaviors amplifies the need for childcare and can reduce caregivers' psychological well-being; caregivers must deal with the distress that arises from the ongoing demands associated with their role as primary caregivers, including continuous psychological adaptations, financial challenges, and heightened emotions [14]. In turn, because children spend a significant amount of time with their caregivers, the availability and wellbeing of the caregivers during the pandemic may also have had an indirect effect on children's development and wellbeing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Child and Family Factors on Caregivers’ Mental Health and Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

Papadopoulos

2023

Children

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Although primary caregivers of children with developmental disabilities (DDs) experience higher levels of distress than primary caregivers of typically developing children do, this problem has received limited attention in Greece. Therefore, this study examined mental health and associated factors among primary caregivers of children with and without DDs in Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study included 156 participants. Primary caregivers completed a self-report survey on sociodemographic characteristics, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 items, and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Primary caregivers of children with DDs, particularly mothers, reported more mental health problems and higher levels of psychological distress than the control group. Among families parenting a child with disabilities, caregivers’ psychological distress was significantly related to having a child with autism spectrum disorder and the severity of the child’s behavioral difficulties. Significant predictors of caregivers’ distress were the parent being female, the child being male, a single-parent family, a lower income, and higher depressive symptoms. Caregivers raising children with DDs face unique challenges in terms of care, necessitating the development of family-based interventions to improve the social-emotional well-being and overall quality of life for both parents and children.

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“…In the United States, approximately 1 in 44 persons are now diagnosed with ASD (Maenner et al, 2021), and the prevalence of ASD is greater in boys than girls (Christensen et al, 2019; Tan et al, 2021). Compared with parents of children with other intellectual disorders, parents of children with ASD experience higher levels of stress (Hou et al, 2018; Leonardi et al, 2021), more depression and anxiety (Hou et al, 2018; Kütük et al, 2021; Williams et al, 2021), increased risk of poorer quality of life (Celik et al, 2021), and higher incidence of fatigue (Giallo et al, 2013). Parenting children with mild to moderate levels of ASD involves the greatest degree of parental stress (Huang et al, 2014), which is associated with ineffective coping strategies (Ni'matuzahroh et al, 2022) and both parenting stress and adaptive coping related to parents’ quality of life (Ten Hoopen et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Coping Strategies of Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan: A Qualitative Study

Chin

Chang²,

Chao³

2023

Journal of Nursing Research

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BackgroundChildren with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience impairments in their social interactions, language communication, and stereotypical patterns of behavior. Parents of children with ASD experience higher levels of stress and more depression and anxiety than parents of children with other disabilities or typically developing children. Parents of children with disabilities develop coping strategies to counteract the stresses associated with raising a child with special needs. Understanding coping strategies to help counteract the stresses associated with parenting a child with ASD may enhance well-being in parents of children with ASD, improve the quality of care provided to these children, and foster better parent–child relationships.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the coping strategies used by parents in Taiwan parenting a child with ASD.MethodsIn this descriptive qualitative study, thematic analysis was conducted on data collected during face-to-face interviews. Fourteen parents of children with ASD were recruited using purposive sampling. Researchers employed a teamwork approach for data analysis to increase the dependability and consistency of the transcribed interviews. Team members discussed coding and identified the themes collaboratively.ResultsTaiwanese parents of children with ASD coped with the psychological impacts of parenting by employing problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies. Problem-focused strategies included communication, support, and management, whereas emotion-focused strategies included acceptance and adaptation. Findings showed that both coping strategies were useful in addressing specific situations and circumstances. Social and clinical support improved parents’ mental health and children’s external behaviors.Conclusions/Implication for PracticeHealthcare providers should evaluate how parents are coping with the stresses related to raising a child with ASD and consider the cultural factors that might influence how they accept and adapt to parenting children with ASD. Understanding these variables may be used to tailor strategies appropriate to reducing stress and improving the well-being of parents and their children. Support and resource referrals should be considered, including parent support groups, books, web-based services, and recommendations for professional consultations with social workers or therapists.

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The Route of Stress in Parents of Young Children with and without Autism: A Path-Analysis Study

Cited by 11 publications

References 68 publications

Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study on Prevalence, Distribution and Clinical Features in an Italian Sample

Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study on Prevalence, Distribution and Clinical Features in an Italian Sample

Impact of Child and Family Factors on Caregivers’ Mental Health and Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

Exploring Coping Strategies of Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan: A Qualitative Study

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