The effects of coping style, social support, and child’s behavioral problems on the well-being of mothers of children with autism in Lebanon.

Abstract

Research has shown that mothers of children with autism typically display lower levels of well-being compared to mothers of typically developing children and children with other disabilities. Research has also shown that the coping style used plays a critical role in the well-being of mothers of children with autism. Moreover, social support has been regarded to serve as a buffer in the face of stress. Furthermore, compared to all the levels of impairments in autism, behavioral symptoms are mostly associated with decreased well-being levels. This study examined the extent to which these variables impact the well-being of parents of children with autism. Specifically, this study examined whether coping style, perceived social support, and decreased child’s behavioral problems, predict well-being in mothers of children with autism. The study also explored the extent to which child’s age, mother’s level of education, marital status, and employment status would impact well-being in mothers of children with autism. Finally, to compare the well-being of Lebanese mothers parenting children with autism to those parenting children of typical development, a sample of mothers parenting a typically developing child was assessed on the same factors. It is noteworthy that these goals examined the manifestations of the target variables in the Greater Beirut area, thus making this study a first of its kind in the region. Mothers of children with autism were recruited from different schools, organizations, and centers that deal with children who have autism, mothers of children of typical development were recruited through schools and through cafes of malls Beirut. Results showed that disengagement and distraction coping were the only variables that predicted well-being among mothers of children with autism. Cognitive reframing, disengagement and distraction coping, in addition to the child’s behavioral problems were all correlated with well-being. Additionally, social support variables did not serve a