What Coping Strategies do Parents of Children with Autism use to Cope with Stress?

Abstract

Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have higher levels of stress compared to parents of children with other disabilities and parents of typically developing children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of ASD in U.S. children increased from 1 in 150 in 2000 to 1 in 54 in 2016, which means that for every 1 out of 54 children, there might be at least one parent who is facing higher levels of stress. Parents use some coping strategies to manage their stress. Studies that have investigated the association between stress levels of parents and their coping strategies have often grouped coping strategies together and have not examined them individually. This study surveyed 144 parents to investigate the association between stress levels of parents and the individual coping strategies they use. The Parental Stress Index-Short Form-fourth edition (PSI-4-SF) and the adapted Brief COPE inventory were used to gather the data. Descriptive statistics and the chi-square test of independence were employed for the analysis of the data. Results of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant association between parental stress and six coping strategies including behavioral disengagement, self-blame, humor, venting, instrumental support, and denial.