Stress and resilience in family of children with autism spectrum disorder

Cilj je istraživanja ispitati razinu obiteljskoga stresa i otpornosti u obitelji djece s poremećajem spektra autizma. Ispitat će se povezanost obiteljskoga stresa i čimbenika obiteljske otpornosti s dobi djeteta s PSA-om, prolaskom vremena od dijagnoze, učestalosti nepoželjnih ponašanja te uključenosti roditelja u programe podrške za obitelji. Istraživanje je provedeno online, pomoću anketnoga upitnika u kojem je sudjelovalo 70 roditelja djece s poremećajem spektra autizma koji žive na području Splitsko-dalmatinske, Zadarske i Šibensko-kninske županije. Za potrebe ovoga istraživanja korišteni su Multidimenzionalni upitnik stresa za parove (Bodenmann, Schär i Gmelch, 2008), Skala roditeljskoga stresa (Berry i Jones, 1995) te Upitnik za procjenu otpornosti obitelji (FRAS, Sixbey, 2005, adaptacija Ferić i sur, 2016). U okviru znanstveno-istraživačkih pristupa korištene su deskriptivna statistika te neparametrijske statističke metode (Spearmanov koeficijent korelacije). Rezultati pokazuju da 35,7% obitelji djece s poremećajem spektra autizma doživljava visoku razinu općega stresa te 24,3% obitelji visoku razinu roditeljskoga stresa, dok je kod 8,6 % razina otpornosti niska. Ipak obitelji većinom izvještavaju o umjerenom stresu te umjerenoj do visokoj otpornosti. Utvrđena je značajna povezanost između općega stresa, roditeljskoga stresa i otpornosti. Utvrđena je statistički značajna pozitivna povezanost između stresa roditelja i učestalosti nepoželjnih ponašanja djeteta s PSA-om te negativna značajna povezanost između otpornosti obitelji i učestalosti nepoželjnih ponašanja kod djeteta s PSA-om. Ovim istraživanjem nije utvrđena značajna povezanost između stresa i otpornosti u obitelji s dobi djeteta, prolaskom vremena od postavljanja dijagnoze i uključenosti roditelja u programe podrške obiteljima. Dobiveni rezultati doprinose uvidu o značaju podrške koju treba velik broj obitelji djece s PSA-om te pružaju osnovu za daljnja istraživanja. Budući da otpornije obitelji pokazuju niže razine roditeljskoga stresa, stručnjaci bi se trebali usmjeriti na pružanje podrške s naglaskom na educiranje obitelji o prevenciji i intervenciji usmjerenim prema smanjenju nepoželjnih ponašanja, što će osigurati jačanje ključnih procesa otpornosti obitelji i smanjenje stresa.The goal of the study was to examine the level of family stress and resilience in the families of children with autism spectrum disorder. The association of family stress and family resilience factors with the age of the child with ASD, the passage of time since diagnosis, the frequency of challenging behaviours, and parental involvement in family support programs will be examined. The research was conducted online, through a questionnaire in which participated 70 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder living in the Split-Dalmatia, Zadar and Šibenik-Knin counties. For the purposes of this research, the Multidimensional Stress Questionnaire for Couples (Bodenmann, Schär and Gmelch, 2008), the Parental Stress Scale (Berry and Jones, 1995) and the Family Resilience Assessment Questionnaire (FRAS) were used (Ferić, Maurović and Žižak, 2016). Descriptive statistics and non-parametric statistical methods (Spearman's correlation coefficient) were used in scientific research approaches. The results show that 35.7% of families with children with autism spectrum disorder experience a high level of general stress and 24,3% of families a high level of parental stress, while in 8,6% the level of resistance is low. However, families mostly report moderate stress and moderate to high resilience. A significant association was found between general stress, parental stress, and resilience. There was a statistically significant positive association between parental stress and the incidence of unwanted behaviors of the child with ASD and a negatively significant association between family resilience and the incidence of undesirable behaviors in the child with ASD. This study did not find a significant association between stress and resilience in the family with the age of the child, the passage of time since diagnosis, and parental involvement in family support programs. The obtained results contribute to the insight into the importance of support that a large number of families of children with ASD need and provide a basis for further research. As more resilient families show lower levels of parental stress, professionals should focus on providing support with an emphasis on educating families on prevention and intervention aimed at reducing unwanted behaviors, which will ensure strengthening key family resilience processes and stress reduction