Modeling of family's adaptive of children with autism based on coping style of problem-oriented stress by mediating parental perceived stress

Autism spectrum disorders are a neurological disorder that is a clear sign of failure in communicating with behaviors, interests and stereotypical activities. The degree of family adaptation to the stress of having such children is different and studies on the stressors in the lives of children parents with autism indicate that parents have more stress. Stress coping styles is one of the most influential personal that influences on family stress. Those parents of children with autism who use positive styles of coping with stress (such as problem-based coping and positive assessment), reduce negative outcomes and increase positive outcomes, while using coping negative styles (such as a counter-focus on excitement and avoidance coping) is associated with increasing negative outcomes. Autism spectrum disorders due to restrictions on the child can cause many problems in the care of the child. On the other hand, families with these children tolerate a lot of stress. This study aimed of determining the role of the mediator of perceived stress among relation coping style of problem-oriented stress with family adaptive in the family of children with autism.

The correlation research method was based on the structural equation modelling method. The statistical population consisted of families with autism children in the autism association of Tehran (capital city of Iran). A total of 360 samples selected by available sampling method. The instruments for collecting were Cohen et al., (1983) perceived stress questionnaire, Billings and Moos (1984) coping style questionnaire, and Olson, et al Family adaptability (1985). To analyze the obtained data, descriptive statistics including mean and standard deviations and inferential statistics of Pearson correlation and regression equations used in the probability of 0.05 with SPSS-18 and AMOS-23 software.

There was a significant direct correlation between the coping style of problem-oriented stress with family adaptive of children with autism (p<0.001, β=0.21) and there was a significant negative correlation between parental perceived stress with family adaptive of children with autism (p<0.001, β=-0.38). In addition, parental perceived stress played a mediator role in the relationship between the problem-oriented coping styles with family adaptive.

Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that parental perceived stress and coping style of problem-oriented stress was effective in family adaptive of children with autism. According to the results of this study, the parents of children with autism use problem-oriented coping styles and more emotional styles than mothers with normal children are.