Prediction of Psychological Well–Being and Resilience in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Based on Cognitive Flexibility

Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require strong coping and support patterns because of the problems they face. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive flexibility and psychological well-being and resilience in mothers with ASD children in Zanjan.

This descriptive-analytic study was of correlational type. The statistical population of the study included all mothers of students with ASD at elementary schools for exceptional children in Zanjan in the academic year of 2018-19. A sample of 180 mothers with these children was selected through availability sampling. The data were collected using Dennis & Vander Wal’s Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, the Reef Psychological Well-being Scale and the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale. Pearson’s correlation and multivariate regression used for data analysis (α=0.05). Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 21.

There was a positive and significant relationship between the components of cognitive flexibility and the psychological well-being of mothers (p<0.001). Among the subcomponents of cognitive flexibility, the subcomponents of perceived behavioral justification and controllability had a positive and significant relationship with the psychological well-being of mothers; the former subcomponent was the most important predictor (p=0.003). Moreover, there was a positive and significant relationship between cognitive flexibility components and maternal resilience (p<0.001). The results of simultaneous multivariate regression analysis conducted to predict maternal resilience showed a positive and significant relationship between the subcomponent of perceived behavioral justification and controllability; the latter subcomponent was the most important predictor of resilience in these mothers (p<0.001).

Given the significance of the role of cognitive flexibility in predicting psychological well-being and resilience in mothers of children with ASD, emphasis must be laid on its components by relevant specialists in the field.