Abstract
Coping with challenges associated with caregiving for a child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) could be a parental stressful task. The present study is aimed at exploring the coping styles adopted by parents to handle the demands of this diagnosis for their children. To understand the parental coping style of Iranian parents who are caregiving for their offspring with ASD, a mixed-method approach is considered in which deep interview and self-report questionnaires were used. In all, 43 parents were recruited from different services for individuals with ASD across Tehran. The finding showed that ASD had multiple impacts on Iranian parents’ general well-being. They also used less effective coping styles to meet the associated demands of caregiving for a child with ASD. These impacts were similar to reported findings for parents in other countries, but there were some special features of parenting that might be rooted in the Iranian culture or special contexts such as limitation of the formal and informal supports and services.
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