Stress among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder in comparison to children with & without special health care needs

• Published in: Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicine 2023-09, Vol.16 (3), p.473-481
• Main Authors: Lohiya, Nirali, Srivastava, Leena, Lohiya, Nikhil, Kalrao, Vijay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1874-5393; 1875-8894
• DOI: 10.3233/PRM-220014

Parenting a child with special health care needs (SHCN) is often stressful. This study aimed to measure and compare stress among mothers of children with (a) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - ASD group, (b) Developmental delay without ASD group, (c) SHCN without developmental delay group, and (d) Typically developing group. To assess factors associated with maternal stress in children with developmental disorders. A cross-sectional analytical study was performed with children aged 2-12 years and their mothers. The study population was classified into four groups as defined above help of detailed history, developmental & behavioral assessments, psychological assessments, and Child Special Health Care Needs Screener (CSHCN). Parental Stress Scale (PSS) Questionnaire was administered. The main outcome measurement was the PSS and various factors affecting it. The mothers of the ASD group reported a high stress score (50.4±11.4) compared to SHCN without developmental delay group (38.2±8.8) and the Typically developing group (22.3±3.3) (p  0.05). Maladaptive behavioral issues and irregular interventions were the factors contributing to higher parental stress in the ASD group (p