Family Resilience and Parental Stress in Families of Children with Autism

Abstract

In this quantitative study, we examined relationships among family resilience, gender, and parental stress in a sample of 71 parents of young children with autism. Although findings from multiple regression and correlational analyses indicated significantly higher parental stress levels in parents of children with autism, mothers demonstrated higher levels of stress than fathers. Five family resiliency factors, including family communication and problem solving, utilizing social and economic resources, family connectedness, family spirituality, and ability to make meaning of adversity were shown to contribute significantly to parental stress. We provide explanations of these findings and present clinical and research implications.