International Meeting for Autism Research (May 7 - 9, 2009): Differences in Perceptions of Mothers and Fathers of Children with Autism in Regards to Stress, Family Cohesion and Adaptibility

Friday, May 8, 2009

Northwest Hall (Chicago Hilton)

2:30 PM

S. A. Donaldson , College of Nursing, Gainesville, FL

J. H. Elder , College of Nursing, Gainesville, FL

J. Kairalla , Division of Biostatistics, Dept. of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Unviersity of Florida, Gainesville, FL

G. Valcante , Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

R. Bendixen , Occupational Therapy Department , College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

R. Ferdig , College of Education, University of Florida

E. H. Self , College of Nursing, Gainesville, FL

P. J. Mutch , Pediatrics, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL

T. K. Murphy , Pediatrics, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL

J. Walker , College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

C. Palau , College of Nursing, Gainesville, FL

M. Serrano , College of Nursing, Gainesville, FL

T. Galante , University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Background: Literature indicates that mothers and fathers of children with autism report higher levels of stress than parents of children with other developmental disabilities. Literature also indicates that mothers typically experience higher levels of stress than fathers. In our 4-year NIH-funded study focused on teaching fathers skills to help increase social interaction and communication in their children with autism, an important question is whether father and mother stress levels and perceptions of family cohesion and adaptability differ prior to receiving the training intervention.

Objectives: To determine whether differences exist in perception of stress, family cohesion and family adaptability between mothers and fathers of children with autism.

Methods: As part of our 4-year on-going NIH-funded study, we analyzed baseline data from 21 families and compared mother and father scores from the Parental Stress Inventory (PSI) and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale II (FACES II). Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used for each of the three scores to describe and statistically test whether pre-intervention differences existed between mothers and fathers in families having a child with autism.

Results: Both mothers and fathers scored at or above the 90th percentile on the PSI indicating clinically significant stress levels. Comparisons of the mother and father PSI scores did not show a statistically significant difference (p=0.10), although mothers averaged 9.6 points higher on the PSI scale (99.5 to 89.9). An analysis of the FACES II scores indicated both mothers and fathers perceived their family’s cohesion as being “connected” with no statistically significant difference reported between fathers and mothers (p=0.16; mother mean: 68.0, father mean: 65.1). Statistical analysis of the family adaptability scores indicated highly significant differences between mothers and fathers (p=0.0008; mother mean: 50.1, father mean: 45.0); This indicates that the mothers perceived the family as more flexible and less structured than fathers.

Conclusions: Mothers and fathers of children with autism experience clinically significant stress levels. While both parents perceive the family as cohesive, fathers view the family as more structured than mothers. These conclusions suggest the need for interventions that address the stress that both parents of children with autism experience. Further, because there were differences between fathers and mothers, there may be a need to design interventions that address these differences, as well as the similarities.

National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health

See more of: Poster IV
See more of: Poster Presentations