Coping, Distress, and Well-Being in Latina Mothers of Children with Autism

Background:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) represents a continuum of disordered behavior and deficits that can affect communication, social, intellectual, and developmental progression (APA, 2017). ASD is a complex diagnosis that can present many challenges and lifestyle changes for the parents of affected individuals, (Karst & Van Hecke 2012). While many studies have explored the mental and emotional implications of ASD on mothers, the majority of these studies have investigated participants from predominantly white, middle-to-upper class populations. Latinos constitute one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the United States (Pew Research Center, 2014), yet little research has examined coping and well-being in Latina mothers of children with ASD (Magaña, et al., 2006).

Objectives:

This study examined (1) how Latina mothers cope with their child’s ASD and (2) if child ASD symptoms and maternal coping strategies are associated with maternal distress and wellbeing.

Methods:

Participants included 32 mothers of children with ASD who identified as Hispanic or Latina (see Table 1 for demographics). Mother completed online survey measures, including a demographic questionnaire and the following assessments: the Brief COPE to measure how mothers cope with parenting a child with ASD (Carver 1997), the Abbreviated Multicultural Acculturation Scale (Zea, et al., 2003), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale – Revised (Radloff, 1977), the Social Responsiveness Scale – 2 (Constantino, 2012), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, et al., 1985). The following variables were examined: problem-focused coping skills (active coping, planning, positive reframing) and emotion-focused coping skills (denial, venting, and behavioral disengagement), religion coping skill, maternal depression, maternal well-being, maternal U.S acculturation, maternal Hispanic acculturation, child maladaptive behaviors, and child ASD symptom severity.

Results:

Pearson Product Moment correlations were calculated to examine the relations between coping strategies, maternal acculturation, child maladaptive behaviors, ASD symptom severity, and maternal depression, and well-being (Table 2). Maternal depression was significantly positively correlated with utilizing behavioral disengagement and denial coping strategies. Maternal stress was significantly positively correlated with both child maladaptive behavior symptoms and ASD symptom severity. Maternal well-being was significantly positively associated with using religion as a coping mechanism and marginally positively associated with having higher scores on the Latina subscale.

Conclusions:

The current study found significant correlations between emotion-focused problem solving and greater maternal depression. These findings concur with previous research, showing that emotion-focused coping is associated with more negative maternal emotions (Benson, 2010). Also consistent with previous research, we found that heightened ASD severity and maladaptive behavior symptoms were related to significantly increased parenting stress. Interestingly, using religion as a coping strategy was associated with higher well-being in our mothers. While evidence supporting the use of religion as an adaptive coping strategy has been mixed (Benson, 2010), these findings suggest that using religion to cope may be adaptive for Latina mothers of children with ASD.