Literature Review: Mindfulness Training for ASD Parents' Wellbeing

This literature review critically examines the effectiveness of mindfulness training in reducing stress and improving the well-being of parents of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The review analyzes various studies and therapies used to support ASD parents, focusing on the impact of training on parental stress levels, awareness of their children's behaviors, and overall mental health. The introduction highlights the challenges faced by parents of autistic children, including increased stress levels and the need for effective interventions. The review discusses key components of the theory, prevalence statistics, and diverse therapies suggested by different authors. It evaluates the reliability and validity of the research, noting the interrelation between training and stress reduction. The findings suggest that mindfulness training can significantly reduce stress and improve parental well-being, although limitations such as qualitative factors and the impact of the child's age and severity of autism are also addressed. The review concludes that while mindfulness training shows promise, further research is needed to address these limitations and refine the approach.

PSY CRITICAL LITERATURE
REVIEW PSYCHOLOGY
(Literature review)

Title:
The effectiveness of mindfulness training for reducing stress or improving well-being
in parents of children or adolescents with ASD
Objectives
 To evaluate the importance of training of ASD parents
 To critically assess the need of the training in ASD parents
 To analyze the therapies explained by authors in training for ASD parents.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Autism spectrum disorder is the genetic disorder which is noticed in the early age of
children. Due to this problem, the parents are witnessing stress in their life which is further
impacting the health of the children. But by conducting mindfulness training, the
effectiveness is noticed in the parents. The main purpose of the research is to identify the
benefits of the mindfulness training which are helping the ASD parents for reducing stress in
their lives. Through providing training to the parents, a significant reduction of stress level
was noticed in the parents. Besides this, it has been seen that parents became more aware
about the nature and behaviour of the children. In this, the two variables which have been
focused are the effectiveness of training and other is the reducing stress level of ASD parents.
Further, various therapies which are used by the teachers and the trainers were quite
effectively in making the mental state level of the individual normal.
Introduction
Autism is the type of the neurodevelopmental disorder in which the children are not
able to effectively interact socially with the people. Besides this, non- verbal communication
and repetitive behaviour are witnessed in them. The symptoms of this disorder are detected in
the early age. There are several problems which are witnessed by the parents at the time of
dealing with the autistic child.
According to the Altiere & von Kluge, (2009) not only the child or the adolescents
have to deal with it but the parents are more stressed about the problem in their child. The
reason is that due to the repetitive behaviour of the child for example it has been witnessed
that if the child is clapping hand, then for long time, he or she will be doing this type of
activity (Pottie & Ingram, 2008). This is one of important system which is seen in case of
autism. This makes the parents irritated as well as stressed out and which is shown in their
behaviour. Due to this reason it is important to carry out the training for reducing stress and

enhancing the well being of autistic parents. According to Bazzano and et.al., (2015) the main
aim to study the effectiveness of training is that as per the psychologists, they believe that if
the parents are stressed then they do not behave well with their children. In case of children
suffering from the Autistic spectrum disorder, they need more attention than any other
children (Rao and Beidel, 2009). The child talks less with other members and usually lack in
social intervention. So it is important for the parents to support them and help them to live
their lives. This can be only possible if then parents are giving mindfulness training for
reducing stress and enhancing the well being.
Figure 1: adolescent Autism in Austraila
(Source: Adolescent Autism in Austraila, 2017)
According to Beer, Ward, & Moar, (2013), the autistic children suffers from the
loneliness compare to other children besides this due to this reason, they are more likely to
fall in depression. On the other hand, the prevalent behaviour which arises in children and the
adolescent is that they become aggressive as well as violent towards the activity which can
harm parents or their near ones (Rayan and Ahmad, 2016).To help the children deal with the
situation, it is important for the parent to attend the training so that they can become stress
free. According to Benson, (2010) another effectiveness for the training that have been
evaluated is that it helped the parents to understand their child. This was mainly noticed in
case of the adolescent because with the age their behaviour changes and the parents majorly
suffer in parenting at that age. Through training the stress level has been reduced and they

have become vigilant to their behaviours (Siman-Tov, Kaniel, 2011). As per the graph it has
been witnessed by the authors is that in the recent years, the autism rate in adolescents has
been increasing. Due to this reason also, the need for training have increased. Even from the
past records it has been notice that parents feel relief after the training and there are parents
who believe that through the therapies there well being has been increased (Rao and Beidel,
(2009).
According Bloch, & Weinstein, (2010), the two variables are highly interrelated with
each other. Training is an effective method which helps in reducing stress among the parents.
From the data it has been depicted that the parents for the ASD children are more likely to be
stressed as because of their children they are cut off from the day to day activities which arise
in the adolescents. Due to the lack of social intervention and not connected with the society,
the parents are likely to witness stress in their life. According to Bluth, Roberson, Billen, &
Sams, J. M. (2013) it has been noticed among the parents that if there stress level is less than
they are effectively able to carry out the parenthood. Do this reason, it is important for every
parents to attend the training session which can help in reducing the stress level.
Description of key components of theory
Figure 2: child autism in Australia
(Source: child autism in Australia, 2017)

According to Cachia, Anderson & Moore (2016), both parents witnesses stress in the
lives but the mothers are the one who are more connected to the ASD children. According to
survey it has been found that around 30% of the women said that due to this reason they are
not working and all the time they are with their children. But the statement has been critically
evaluated by Conner & White, (2014), and he said that in case of adolescent children they are
more attached to the fathers than their mothers. By analysing the data, it was also come to
notice that the adolescent male ASD child is more attached to their fathers. The different
authors suggested diverse therapies for reducing the stress among the parents. Around 6
authors were chosen for critically analyzing the effectiveness of the training on the ASD
parents (Singh and et.al., 2014).
According to Dabrowska & Pisula (2010), the parenting scale was used by the
teachers and the clinic for measuring the stress of the parents. This was quite effective
because level of stress was measured in the parents. In this, the high score detecting the more
parenting stress among the child. On the other hand, Dykens and et.al., (2014), stated that
there is no perfect method which can help in identifying the stress of the parents. According
to Estes and et.al., (2009). The past study on the effectiveness of training has been show that
the doctors previously gave training to the parents as how to deal with their autistic children.
In this, various therapies were applied by the doctors (A Stress Model for Couples Parenting
Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Introduction of a Mindfulness
Intervention,2017.). This reduced the stress as the main problem which they face was to deal
with the children. Through providing the ways it helped them to carry out their routine
process effectively.
Their reliability and validity can be judged effectively because all the reasons have
been tested and strong proof has been given by these researchers on the effectiveness of the
training on parenting. Through different index and therapies the changes have been witnessed
in the parents. Major impact was seen that after the training session, their behaviour towards
their autistic children was different and they were able to easily handle the child (Tehee,
Honan &Hevey, 2009). The most important aspect is that the issue which the parents were
facing due to their inadequate behaviour towards the child was sorted out and they were able
to communicate with them easily. The information which has been carried out is not bias as
because it is tested with the certain methods as well as measures. According to Ferraioli &
Harris, (2013) these reports are made according to the statistical survey which has been made
by the authors. From the past studies it has been noticed that the authors have effectively used
the tables and the charts. Due to this only, the appropriate findings have been witnessed. The

assumptions made by the Jones, Hastings, Totsika, Keane &Rhule, (2014), was valid as it
used the latest statistics to depict their results.
Prevalence statistics
From the above graph it has been witnessing that the autism rate in the children and
adolescent has been increasing and due to this increasing number, the Lyons, and et.al.,
(2010), suggests that the training has become mandatory because it has quite helped in
lowering the stress level of the children. Basically, there two groups of the authors one
expressed that training are highly effective but the other were not satisfied with it. But by
evaluation carried out by two groups it was able to address the limitations which can be
avoided in the further time period. The information was well organized and due to this reason
only, accurate conclusion can be drawn. According to (Benson, 2010), both positive as well
as negative reactions have been given but evaluating the fact sheet it has been witnessed that
training is effective for the parents of the ASD. The results which have been drawn by the
researchers are relevant and due to this reason it can be articulated that the methods used
were appropriate. Besides this, the results are directly linked with the hypothesis and the test
carried out was also helpful in identifying the effectiveness (WHY ADD A PARENT-
IMPLEMENTED COMPONENT TO AUTISM TREATMENT PROGRAMS? 2017).
Conclusion
According to the authors, there is huge effectiveness of mindfulness training for the
parents of the ASD children. The main reason is that with the help of training there stress
level is reduced a great extent. Further, according to the Neece (2014), the problem is genetic
and it is not easy to control but with the help of their parents the children and the adolescent
can be made competent to face the world. The interpretation regarding the training is accurate
because the findings have been presented with carrying out the test procedures (Weiss and
et.al., (2012).Besides this, different methods to evaluate the stress level before and after the
training have been given. On the other hand, there is less chances of the biasness among the
men and women are there because they both are tested and the same stress level has been
depicted. There are some limitations of the study which are identified by the Neff & Faso
(2015), as they believe that there are few of the qualitative factors which are not included at
the time of the training process. The parents stress level for the child who is suffering more
with autism will have huge stress level On the contrary, the child suffering less. On the other
hand, the age factor has major emphasis on that because the adolescent have more reluctant
behaviour than the child.

Another limitation which has been discussed by the Osborne & Reed, (2010), is that
well being cannot be enhanced with the training. They believe that only stress level can be
reduced and this is also for only some period of time. Further, it can be noticed that the
conclusions are restricted to the authors as the whole research is concluded on the statements
which are enumerated by the authors. Another limitation which can be judged from the past
studies was that there were some of the authors who have given appropriate contribution in
the field of training but still they have no proof to make their point valid. Due to this reason,
it becomes difficult for depending on their study.

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Online
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<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4006932/>. [Accessed on 27th April
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WHY ADD A PARENT-IMPLEMENTED COMPONENT TO AUTISM TREATMENT
PROGRAMS? 2017. [Online]. Available through: <http://www.autism-
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[Accessed on 27th April 2017].