The Impact of Parental Stress among the Quality of Life of mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome

Abstract

For most parents, the birth of their child is a reason for joy because the child is the center of their Universe. He is light, hope, smile, change, and future. Raising a child with a disability can have a profound impact on the family. This causes great stress for parents, especially for the mother. Prolonged stress negatively influences their quality of life, causing health problems and having a high level of fatigue, anxiety, and depression.
This research aimed to investigate the level of parental stress among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder respectively, among mothers of children with Down syndrome. The results of this study demonstrated significant differences regarding the measured variables among mothers of children with ASD and Down syndrome. Regarding coping mechanisms, mothers of children with ASD use religious coping more frequently compared to mothers of children with Down syndrome, who use the following coping mechanisms: active coping, planning, seeking instrumental support, seeking emotional support, acceptance, mental disengagement, and venting. Additionally, the level of parental stress is higher among mothers of children with ASD, and their quality of life is lower; the tendency of social isolation is at a fairly high level.