Coping strategies and parental attitudes, a comparison of parents with children with autistic spectrum disorders and parents with non-autistic children.

This study focused on the coping strategies of parents' with children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and the relation between these strategies and parenting styles. Coping strategies were measured using the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the Purpose in Life Test (PIL-R). Parental attitudes toward loving care, stress, worry, and guilt feelings were assessed using the Family Impact Questionnaire. Two groups of participants were included: parents with children with ASD (EG) (n = 66) and a matched control group (CG) (n = 66). Paired Samples t-Test and Pearson's r correlation were used as methods of analysis. Main results distinguished significant (p < .001 to .003) differences between the EG and CG for almost all variables included. The M level of coping strategy was much higher for the CG than for the EG. SOC showed a stress-reducing effect in both the EG and CG. PIL-R explained 50% of the variance in SOC for the EG and 33% for the CG. The only significant gender difference in the EG was on SOC indicating a higher sense of coherence among the fathers and probably an indicator of a stronger burnout effect of the mothers.