The relationship between spiritual health and social adjustment among parents of children with autism

Parents of children with autism face numerous challenges that hinder their social adjustment. Spiritual health emerges as a relevant components that can potentially enhance their social adjustment. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between spiritual health and social adjustment among parents of children with autism.

Methods & Materials:

 This is a descriptive correlational study that investigates a sample of 194 parents of children with autism at Hekmat Autism Center in Borujerd and Yekta Autism Center in Khorramabad, during the period of March 2021 to April 2021. To collect data, a demographic information questionnaire, the Paloutzian and Ellison spiritual health questionnaire, and the personal resource questionnaire were employed. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS software version 26, utilizing the Chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson's correlation coefficient.

There was a statistically significant relationship between the scores of spiritual health (82.03±17.68) and social adjustment (78.52±15.59) among the parents (r=0.572, P=0.0001). The parents with low spiritual health had a mean social adjustment score of 65±0, while those with moderate spiritual health had a mean score of 76.63±15.76, and parents with high spiritual health had a mean score of 89.19±9.45. These results indicate that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of social adjustment across different levels of spiritual health (P<0.001).

There was a significant correlation between spiritual health and social adjustment among parents of children with autism, suggesting that higher levels of spiritual health were associated with increased social adjustment. To enhance the social adjustment of these parents, it is advisable to implement appropriate planning aimed at improving their spiritual health.