From depression to life satisfaction in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders

• Main Authors: A. I. VASÎLCA, L. T. DAVID
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Transilvania University of Brasov Publishing House 2018-07-01
• Series: Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov: Series VII: Social Sciences, Law
• Subjects: autism; life satisfaction; depression; anxiety; parental stress
• Online Access: http://webbut.unitbv.ro/Bulletin/Series%20VII/2018/BULETIN%20I%20PDF/08_Vasilca.pdf

Autism represent a feared diagnostic that produce anxiety and emotional disturbance each time a parent encounters a prospective problem in the child’s life (McConnell Savage, & Breitkreuz, 2014; Davis & Carter 2008). 106 mothers (aged 20-49 years) half with typical children, half with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were questioned using life satisfaction, depression, anxiety, parental stress and life orientation scales. Information about time passed from when the diagnostic was certain was also collected. Anxiety, depression and parental stress is significant higher in mothers with children with autism, but life satisfaction and life orientation do not differ from those of mothers of typical children. Also, life satisfaction and optimism increase as time passes since the child was first diagnosed and depression decrease. The results are in line with scientific literature and help specialist to understand and offer better support to mothers in need.