Parental stress, care burden, and coping styles in mothers of autistic children during the pandemic of COVID-19†

Objectives To investigate the parenting stress, care burden, and coping styles in mothers of autistic children during the pandemic of COVID-19. The outbreak of COVID-19 and the closure of education and care centers for these children may affect stress, care burden, and adaptation of these mothers. Methods This study was a cross-sectional research. A total of 110 mothers completed questionnaires. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation), independent t-test, ANOVA, and multiple linear regressions. Results Findings showed that parenting stress has a strong and direct correlation with caring burden ( P < 0.001, r = 0.95), and a strong and indirect correlation with coping styles ( P < 0.001, r = –0.91). Variables of caring burden, coping strategies, mother’s age, mother’s job, mother’s education, number of autistic children, economic status, children’s age, and functional level of autism in children can predict 72.21% of the variance in parenting stress in these mothers. Conclusions In the present study, parenting stress of mothers of autistic children was reported to be high during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that pediatric nurses and health policymakers should provide a suitable educational and supportive environment for mothers of autistic children to enhance the coping level of these mothers and consequently reduce their parenting stress and care burden.