The correlation of parenting stress with coping styles and participation in care in mothers of children aged 6-14 with autism in the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic presents many challenges to mothers of children with autism, so it seems that the stress of parenting strongly affects their coping styles and participation in care. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of parenting stress with coping styles and participation in care in mothers of children aged 6-14 with autism in the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was a correlation study, in which 110 mothers of autistic children referred to autism centers affiliated to Hamadan University of Medical Sciences were selected by convenience sampling method, four Data collection tools included demographic information questionnaires, parenting stress-short form questionnaires, Coping strategies questionnaires and parental bonding instrument. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22 through descriptive statistics and analytical statistics (independent t-test, ANOVA and multiple linear regression with reverse approach).

In mothers of children with autism, there was a strong and inverse correlation between parenting stress and adaptation methods (p<0.001, r=-0.91),and also between parenting stress and participation in care (p<0.001, r=-0.87). Also, 69.47% of the variance of mothers' parenting stress was explained by the variables of adjustment methods, participation in care, number of children with autism, child's age, performance level of the child with autism, family income, age, job and mother's education.

Pediatric nurses and policy makers of community health should provide a suitable educational and supportive environment for mothers of autistic children to increase adaptation and involvement in care of these mothers and consequently reduce their parenting stress.