Women’s Health Bulletin

Current Issue

By Issue

By Author

By Subject

Author Index

Keyword Index

About Journal

Aims and Scope

Editorial Board

Publication Ethics

Authorship Rules and Regulations

Indexing and Abstracting

Peer Review Process

Metrics

Forms

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

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

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

References
  1. Aishworiya R, Saw YE, Chan YH, Chong SC, Kiing JSH, Tan MY, et al. Quality of Life and Its Associated Correlates of Parents of Children on the Autism Spectrum in Singapore. J Autism Dev Disord. 2024. doi: 10.1007/s10803-024-06391-6. PubMed PMID: 38773032. ##
  2. Loomes R, Hull L, Mandy WPL. What Is the Male-to-Female Ratio in Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2017;56(6):466-474. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.03.013. PubMed PMID: 28545751. ##
  3. Rafiei M, Nakhostin-Ansari A, Meshkat S, Khosravi A, Memari AH. Public awareness and stigma of autism spectrum disorder in Iran; An online survey. Res Dev Disabil. 2023;134:104441. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104441. PubMed PMID: 36731249. ##
  4. Adams D, Clark M, Simpson K. The Relationship Between Child Anxiety and the Quality of Life of Children, and Parents of Children, on the Autism Spectrum. J Autism Dev Disord. 2020;50(5):1756-1769. doi: 10.1007/s10803-019-03932-2. PubMed PMID: 30805767. ##
  5. Romaniuk A, Ward M, Henrikson B, Cochrane K, Theule J. Family Quality of Life Perceived by Mothers of Children with ASD and ADHD. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2024;55(2):510-519. doi: 10.1007/s10578-022-01422-8. PubMed PMID: 36074211; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9452860. ##
  6. Doosti S, Hooman F, Bakhtiarpour S, Bavi S. Correlation between Quality of Life and Social Support in Mothers of Disabled Children: Mediation by Parenting Stress. Women Health Bull. 2023;10(3):147-154. doi: 10.30476/whb.2023.98597.1229. ##
  7. Turnage D, Conner N. Quality of life of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An integrative literature review. J Spec Pediatr Nurs. 2022;27(4):e12391. doi: 10.1111/jspn.12391. PubMed PMID: 35986656. ##
  8. Papadopoulos D. Mothers' Experiences and Challenges Raising a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Study. Brain Sci. 2021;11(3):309. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11030309. PubMed PMID: 33801233; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8001702. ##
  9. Khoshakhlagh M, Marashian FS, Jayervand H. Comparing the Effectiveness of Positive Psychotherapy and Pivotal Response Treatment in Family Satisfaction in Mothers of Children with Autism. Women Health Bull. 2022;9(1):1-8. doi: 10.30476/whb.2022.93640.1155. ##
  10. Alkhonezan SM, Alkhonezan MM, Alshayea Y, Bukhari H, Almhizai R. Factors Influencing the Lives of Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive Review. Cureus. 2023;15(11):e48325. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48325. PubMed PMID: 38060740; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10697862. ##
  11. Liu R, Dong H, Wang Y, Lu X, Li Y, Xun G, et al. Sleep Problems of Children with Autism May Independently Affect Parental Quality of Life. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2021;52(3):488-499. doi: 10.1007/s10578-020-01035-z. PubMed PMID: 32725386. ##
  12. Losada-Puente L, Baña M, Asorey MJF. Family quality of life and autism spectrum disorder: Comparative diagnosis of needs and impact on family life. Res Dev Disabil. 2022;124:104211. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104211. PubMed PMID: 35298957. ##
  13. Raju S, Hepsibah PEV, Niharika MK. Quality of life in parents of children with Autism spectrum disorder: Emphasizing challenges in the Indian context. Int J Dev Disabil. 2023;69(3):371-378. doi: 10.1080/20473869.2023.2173832. PubMed PMID: 37213591; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10198003. ##
  14. Gentil-Gutiérrez A, Cuesta-Gómez JL, Rodríguez-Fernández P, González-Bernal JJ. Implication of the Sensory Environment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives from School. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(14):7670. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18147670. PubMed PMID: 34300120; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8306690. ##
  15. Garrido D, Carballo G, Garcia-Retamero R. Siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders: social support and family quality of life. Qual Life Res. 2020;29(5):1193-1202. doi: 10.1007/s11136-020-02429-1. PubMed PMID: 31960211. ##
  16. Wang R, Liu Q, Zhang W. Coping, social support, and family quality of life for caregivers of individuals with autism: Meta-analytic structural equation modeling. Personality and Individual Differences. 2022;186(Part B):111351. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.111351. ##
  17. Mousavi S, Mousavi S, Shahsavari MR. Effects of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Resilience and Distress Tolerance in Female Heads of Households. Women Health Bull. 2023;10(3):200-209. doi: 10.30476/whb.2023.99466.1238. ##
  18. Sisto A, Vicinanza F, Campanozzi LL, Ricci G, Tartaglini D, Tambone V. Towards a Transversal Definition of Psychological Resilience: A Literature Review. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019;55(11):745. doi: 10.3390/medicina55110745. PubMed PMID: 31744109; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6915594. ##
  19. Windle G. What is resilience? A review and concept analysis. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology. 2011;21(2):152-169. doi: 10.1017/S0959259810000420. ##
  20. Heselton GA. Childhood adversity, resilience, and autism: a critical review of the literature. Disability & Society. 2023;38(7):1251-1270. doi: 10.1080/09687599.2021.1983416. ##
  21. Southwick SM, Bonanno GA, Masten AS, Panter-Brick C, Yehuda R. Resilience definitions, theory, and challenges: interdisciplinary perspectives. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2014;5. doi: 10.3402/ejpt.v5.25338. PubMed PMID: 25317257; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4185134. ##
  22. Fereidouni Z, Kamyab AH, Dehghan A, Khiyali Z, Ziapour A, Mehedi N, et al. A comparative study on the quality of life and resilience of mothers with disabled and neurotypically developing children in Iran. Heliyon. 2021;7(6):e07285. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07285. PubMed PMID: 34222686; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8243004. ##
  23. Karimirad MR, Seyedfatemi N, Noghani F, Dehkordi AH, Barasteh S. The Relationship between Resilience and Quality of Life in Family Caregivers of Patients with Mental Disorders. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2018;12(11):CC05-CC08. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2018/29369/12239. ##
  24. Hoffman L, Marquis J, Poston D, Summers JA, Turnbull A. Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale (FQoLS). APA PsycTests; 2006. doi: 10.1037/t57297-000. ##
  25. Rajabi G, Qaed Amini Harooni S, Aslani K. Reliability and Validity of the Persian Version of the Family Quality of Life Scale in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability. JOEC. 2019;18(4):5-18. Persian. ##
  26. Gilliam JE. Gilliam autism rating scale. Austin, TX: PRO-ED; 1995. ##
  27. Samadi SA, McConkey R. The utility of the Gilliam autism rating scale for identifying Iranian children with autism. Disabil Rehabil. 2014;36(6):452-6. doi: 10.3109/09638288.2013.797514. PubMed PMID: 23738615. ##
  28. Connor KM, Davidson JRT. Development of a new resilience scale: the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Depress Anxiety. 2003;18(2):76-82. doi: 10.1002/da.10113. PubMed PMID: 12964174. ##
  29. Keyhani M, Taghvaei D, Rajabi A, Amirpour B. Internal Consistency and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) among Nursing Female. Iranian Journal of Medical Education. 2015;14(10):857-865. Persian. ##
  30. Cheng AWY, Lai CYY. Parental stress in families of children with special educational needs: a systematic review. Front Psychiatry. 2023;14:1198302. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1198302. PubMed PMID: 37636816; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10449392. ##
  31. Sun Y, Pan W, Zhang Y, Xu G, Xi J, Bao Q, et al. The relationship between stress, resilience, and quality of life in Chinese high school students. Ann Palliat Med. 2021;10(5):5483-5493. doi: 10.21037/apm-21-929. PubMed PMID: 34044557. ##
  32. Güçlü O, Enustun Hurmeydan C. Being the Mother of a Special Child: Resilience and Marital Adjustment in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Psychiatry Clin Psychopharmacol. 2024;34(1):64-73. doi: 10.5152/pcp.2023.22592. PubMed PMID: 38883886; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11177639. ##
  33. Taylor SC, Smernoff ZL, Rajan M, Steeman S, Gehringer BN, Dow HC, et al. Investigating the relationships between resilience, autism-related quantitative traits, and mental health outcomes among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Psychiatr Res. 2022;148:250-257. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.01.046. PubMed PMID: 35151216; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8799379. ##
  34. Buchholz AA. Correlation between resilience and social support in mothers of young children with autism. Polish perspective. Health Psychol Rep. 2022;11(1):10-21. doi: 10.5114/hpr/151607. PubMed PMID: 38084344; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10679915. ##
  35. Weiss JA, Cappadocia MC, MacMullin JA, Viecili M, Lunsky Y. The impact of child problem behaviors of children with ASD on parent mental health: the mediating role of acceptance and empowerment. Autism. 2012;16(3):261-74. doi: 10.1177/1362361311422708. PubMed PMID: 22297202. ##
  36. Zhao M, Fu W. The resilience of parents who have children with autism spectrum disorder in China: a social culture perspective. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities. 2020;68(2):207-218. doi: 10.1080/20473869.2020.1747761. ##
Women’s Health Bulletin
Volume 12, Issue 1 - Serial Number 44
January 2025
Pages 30-39
Files
Share
How to cite
Statistics