Supervisors info:
Παπανικολάου Αικατερίνη, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Κολαίτης Γεράσιμος, Ομότιμος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Γιαννακόπουλος Γεώργιος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Theoretical background: Parents and siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are psychologically burdened more than parents and siblings of children of typical development (TD).
Aim: To investigate the effect of ASD on the mental health of parents and children/siblings of TA, and the strategies used to manage stress when there is a child with autism in the family. Methodology: The sample came from the region of Evia with the participation of 97 families from parent-guardian associations of special schools (ASD group) and 100 families from a public primary school (control group). The mean parent age for the ASD-Control groups was 47 years (SD 6.95) & 45 years (5.11) respectively. The mean age of children for both groups was 13 years with (TA 3.63) & (3.08) respectively. Regarding gender representativeness, there was a numerical superiority of women in both groups of parents, while in children, an equal number of girls and boys in both groups.
Means of data collection: Improvised parent-child questionnaire, Child Anxiety Scale(S-CAS), Child Depression Scale (CDI), Parental Anxiety Scale (PSI-SF), Personal Rating Family Crisis Scale (F-COPES).
Results: Parents with TD children and ASD siblings show greater anxiety in their parent role (p<0,05), compared to the control group as a statistically significant difference was found between them. However no significant difference was found between both groups in terms of the degree of anxiety symptoms of children with and without sibling ASD, nor in terms of the strategies used by families in difficult situations/crises. Also the parent burden was found to be significantly positively related to children’s depression (β=0,008, p=0,002), panic Disorder- agoraphobia (β=0,008, p=0,015) and social phobia (β=0,005, p=0,026), with compulsive behavior (β=0,008, p=0,001). Parental defensiveness was significantly positively associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (β=0,014, p=0,001). The search for spiritual support was significantly related positively to compulsive behavior (β=0,013, p=0,003) and the act of Family Mobilization to obtain and receive help was significantly positively related with Separation Anxiety Disorder (β=0,015, p=0,015).
Conclusions: Parents with ASD children and TD siblings show great stress in their parental role and this is one of the main factors influencing children’s anxiety and depression. Therefore, because the study of emotional difficulties in TD siblings is considered important, this research will provide the basis to re-investigate in the future, both TD siblings and parent stress.
Keywords:
Stress, Typical development, ASD, Parents, Strategies
