Women’s Health Bulletin

Women’s Health Bulletin

The Mediating Role of Resilience on the Correlation Between Autism Symptoms and Maternal Quality of Life

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Milad Rahmati Farmad
Zahra Eftekhar Saadi
Fatemeh Sadat Marashian
Marzieh Talebzadeh Shoushtari
Parvin Ehteshamzadeh
Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
10.30476/whb.2024.104241.1315
Abstract
Background: To comprehend the complex interplay between autism symptoms, family well-being, and maternal coping abilities, it is essential to delve into the relationship between these factors. This study aimed to investigate how maternal resilience influences the connection between the severity of autism symptoms and the overall quality of life (QoL) for families with autistic children.
Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was designed to investigate the correlation between variables. The study population consisted of mothers of autistic children aged 4 to 12 years residing in Mashhad, Iran. A convenience sample of 372 mothers was recruited from rehabilitation, educational, and therapeutic centers catering to autistic individuals in Mashhad, Iran between January and March 2023. For data analysis, Pearson correlation and SEM were used, with the aid of SPSS and Amos 24.
Results: The mean score for the severity of autism symptoms was 160.26 (±11.66). The mean resilience score was 49.98 (±6.55). Also, the mean score for family QoL was 75.33 (±9.81). The results showed significant direct relationships among the severity of autism symptoms, family QoL, autism symptoms, and maternal resilience in mothers of autistic children (P=0.001). Additionally, the study demonstrated that maternal resilience played a significant mediating role in the connection between autism symptoms and family QoL (P=0.001).
Conclusion: The study uncovered a negative connection between the severity of autism symptoms and family QoL, suggesting that more pronounced symptoms can negatively impact family well-being. Additionally, the study found a positive link between maternal resilience and family QoL, indicating that fostering resilience in mothers of autistic children can enhance family dynamics.

Highlights

Milad Rahmati Farmad: (Google Scholar)

Zahra Eftekhar Saadi: (Google Scholar)

Keywords
Autism
Quality of life
Resilience
Women
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