Comparrative study of the effectiveness of stress management and social support perception training based on cognitive-behavioral manner on Quality of Life of Mothers of children with Autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder is a type of neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent impairment in social interactions and communication as well as repetitive and specific behaviors. The purpose of this study was to compare of the effectiveness of stress management and social support perception training based on cognitive-behavioral manner on quality of life of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. The research method was experimental with pretest, posttest and follow up design. First, the subjects were screened for inclusion criteria, then 30 mothers with children with autism spectrum disorder were selected and after being matched, they were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (10 person in each group). Mothers in the two groups, stress management and social support perception management, received 8 sessions of 90 minutes of intervention and the control group received no intervention. The research instrument, including WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire (1996), was administered to the subjects in all three stages. Data analysis using statistical method of repeated measures analysis of variance, showed that training of social support perception, improves component of social relations (P<0.001), and training of stress management, improves component of physical health (P<0.001), more than other components of quality of life of mothers. Based on the findings, it is suggested that support programs be implemented in community mental health organizations to develop training packages and implement guidelines related to empowering parents with children with autism spectrum disorder.