USING FAMILY SCIENCE TO PREDICT RESILIENCE OR CRISIS OUTCOMES IN THE MENTAL HEALTH OF MOTHERS RAISING CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Abstract

Raising a child with symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be stressful in any family. Due to the high caregiving demands and the persistence of symptoms across the lifespan, mothers in particular are at risk for mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and negative emotions. Treatments and interventions for ASD are typically geared toward the child as an individual. However, family systems theory tells us that the effects of a child's diagnosis of ASD can ripple through the entire family unit. The ABC-X Stress Model is a tool used to evaluate how families cope with stress by analyzing (A) the stressor, (B) resources available, and (C) family perceptions, which lead to (X) our outcomes of crisis or resilience. My aim in this paper was to adapt the ABC-X Stress Model to examine factors of maternal stress when raising children with ASD. This allows us to analyze risks of crisis and resilience within mothers' mental health. A literature review of 30 peer-reviewed articles was used to analyze what research has already been done in this area. The results imply that addressing one factor alone is not sufficient for significantly improving mental health in mothers. The findings show how mental health promotion and prevention for mothers of children with ASD can be analyzed through identifying the personal, societal, and social structures that act as preventative factors or put mothers at risk. This allows researchers, policy makers, as well as therapists, to identify ways to reduce stress, social disparities, and encourage resilience by creating programs that support mental health promotion.