Perception of Burden and Stress Among Mothers of Autistic Children in Pakistani Cultural Background

Abstract

Objectives: The study aimed to explore the perceived burden and stress among mothers of autistic children. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Riphah International University over 4 months, from October 2020 to January 2021. The samples were recruited using non-probability convenience sampling and comprised 84 mothers (23-60 years old) of children aged 3-16 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from different special education centers in Lahore. A demographic questionnaire, Parental Stress Scale (PSS), and Zarit burden interview (ZBI) were used to collect the study data, which were analyzed in SPSS v. 22 software. Results: Forty-five Mothers (53.6%) suffered from moderate to severe burden with a high Mean±SD ZBI (41.75±10.62) and Parental Stress Scale (PSS) scores (48.67±8.04). Also, there is a significant positive correlation between the two scores (r=0.585, P=0.000). A significant association was noted between the mother’s stress and the severity of autism (P=0.006) and the child’s medication (P=0.008), also between the mother’s burden and the child’s age (P=0.019). Discussion: According to the current study’s findings, mothers of children with ASD perceived a high level of burden and stress. The association was seen with factors of children’s age, severity level, and child medication.

Mothers’ Parenting Stress and Internalizing and Externalizing Behavioural Problems of Children

“…It is important to note that in Pakistani culture, mothers typically have the primary responsibility for raising and nurturing children as they often stay at home, while fathers are considered responsible for the family's financial needs and are mostly away from home during the day. As per cultural norms in Pakistan, mother serve as the primary caregivers, which can lead to higher levels of parental stress experienced by them (Mumtaz et al, 2022). In Pakistan, there have been limited studies examining the association between parental stress and child behavioral issues, indicting a research gap that the present study aims to address.…”