By Ifigeneia Mourelatou BSc, MSc, MBPsS
Autism Practitioner & ESDM Specialist at Re:Cognition Health www.recognitionhealth.com
Numerous studies comparing the mental health status of parents with and without autistic children suggest that parents of autistic children have more mental health problems, such as anxiety and low mood.
Risk factors: being a mum and Covid-19
Muhammad at al. (2020) found that mothers expressed a higher level of depression, anxiety, and life stress when compared to fathers of autistic children. In addition, in the same study, no significant difference was found in the mental health status of parents with autistic children across different levels of education and income.
Yılmaz at el. (2021) collected all relevant studies in a systematic review and found that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the mental health of parents of children with autism.
Factors such as being isolated indoors, rapid changes in routines (for example, not being able to go to school), not being able to access beneficial assessments and interventions, combined difficulties of raising an autistic child and experiencing a global pandemic at the same time potentially played a role in that.
Parenting an autistic child: a unique stressor
Other researchers have consistently found that parents of autistic children have more parenting stress than parents of children with other developmental delays or healthcare problems. This implies that being a parent of a child with autism may be associated with unique stresses (Estes et al., 2009; Schieve at al., 2007).
Apart from the mental health burden some parents have, it has also been reported that high levels of parenting stress may decrease the effectiveness of early interventions for autism (Osborne et al., 2008). Thus, supporting and empowering parents at difficult times can provide mental health and well-being benefits to both parents and their children.
Actions to build resilience
So, why don’t we talk more about the mental health of parents of autistic children? And most important, what actions can we take to help? A few suggestions that may help parents build resilience are:
- the necessity of having social support from other parents who have gone through similar situations and emotions;
- the effectiveness of parent training in stress-management strategies, which could be in a form of personal therapy or counselling or in a form of reading a self-help book or practising mindfulness; and
- the value of providing parents with relevant and accurate information about autism and available resources, evidence-based interventions, and local support services (Catalano et el., 2018).
These suggestions can improve not only the psychological well-being of parents, but also influence the well-being of the child as well as family relationships and dynamics.
If you or your loved one is struggling with mental health issues that are affecting your day-to-day life, it’s important to consult with a mental health professional.
