Perceived stress levels, anxiety levels and perceived social support levels of parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

This study examined perceived stress, state anxiety, trait anxiety, and perceived social support among parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder living in Türkiye. The sample consisted of 250 parents (173 mothers, 77 fathers) recruited from Special Education and Rehabilitation Centers in Ankara, Türkiye. Data were collected using the Perceived Stress Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were conducted to examine relationships among variables and identify predictors of perceived stress. Findings showed that parents experienced high levels of perceived stress and moderate to high levels of anxiety. Perceived stress was significantly associated with anxiety and several sociodemographic variables. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that lower income and higher levels of state and trait anxiety significantly predicted increased perceived stress, with state anxiety emerging as the strongest predictor. Perceived social support did not significantly predict perceived stress in the final model, suggesting that its role may be context-dependent. The findings indicate that parental stress in families of children with ASD is strongly associated with psychological and socioeconomic factors. Future research should employ longitudinal and mixed-method designs to better understand caregiver experiences across cultural contexts.