The Buffering Effect of Resilience upon Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Parents of a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

This article presents an overview of the mental health challenges faced by parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It discusses the stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by parents and the impact on their children. The study also explores the role of resilience in buffering these effects and suggests the importance of developing resilience through counseling and training.

Literature Review on
The Buffering Effect
of Resilience upon
Stress, Anxiety and
Depression in Parents
of a Child with an
Autism Spectrum
Disorder

The article presents an overview upon the mental health of parents having kids with the
issue of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Parenting is an extensive task with a lot of activities and
dedication related to it, the parents with children having the syndrome have explained absolute
mental consumption in the task. The mothers have initiated more stress as compared to the
father’s because of being available beyond the limits at all times for the children and their needs.
The stress and anxiety have also resulted in children going deep into the depths of this disorder.
Human are social beings and the children with autism spectrum syndrome often find it difficult
to communicate in order to socialize. Children with this syndrome find it hard to communicate as
suggested by a investigation which included 73 mothers and 35 fathers whose at least one of the
children had autism spectrum disorder. The daily stress that was created due to the parenting of a
child with this disorder resulted in severe anxiety and depression. The basic symptoms of autism
spectrum disorder difficulties in the area of verbal communication, comparatively uneven
cognitive functioning capabilities, behavioral problems along with social interaction based on
uneven psychological capabilities. This resulted in enhancing the overall stress levels and
pressure on parents regarding difficulties that their child will face in social acceptance. As a
consequence of this disorder parent can be criticizing about the children's personal characteristics
there is poor understanding of symptoms due to this syndrome. The study suggested that there
was no direct correlation between the ages of parents and any other variable on which the
symptoms were dependent. The data collected in the research shows that the depression level and
stress for both males and females was different. The intensity of stress in father's was recorded to
be 55.8 % where they were stretched beyond their personal limits in behavior 5 to 10 a month
and 25% over 10 times in a month when it came to the problems that arose due to this syndrome
to the children. Mothers on the other hand were reported to be stressed due to personal of the
children around 70% in 1 AND 5 times over a month and 5% when it came to 10 times for
month. Out of all the participants in this study only one mother and one father were reported to
being stretched beyond their personal capabilities every day. The report also concluded that no
significant interaction between stress level in resilience with respect to the levels of depression
and anxiety was report it by either fathers on mothers of the children with this disorder. Based on
the report this conclusion can be drawn that it the parents who have access to respite from their
daily parenting duties believe it to be a beneficial strategy. In order to maintain their
psychological equilibrium the development of resilience can be done through training for various
counselling methods. The further research that AIMS at investigation of efficiency of the training
courses that were undertaken by parents whose emphasis was on the development of resilience
resulted in in discovery of various further effective coping strategies for parents.

Reference
Bitsika, V., Sharpley, C.F. and Bell, R., 2013. The buffering effect of resilience upon stress,
anxiety and depression in parents of a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Developmental
and Physical Disabilities. 25(5). pp.533-543.