The Effect of Group Counseling in Reducing Parental Stress and Depression in Jordanian Mothers of Children with Autism

Jehad M Alaedein () and Faisal Khalif Al-Sharaa ()

International Journal of Education and Practice, 2020, vol. 8, issue 3, 518-535

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the impact of a group counseling program on reducing parental stress and depression among mothers of Jordanian children with autism. A purposive sample comprising 40 mothers of children with autism was selected from three autism centers in Zarqa and Rusaifa in Jordan; these participants were then randomly assigned to either an experimental group (N = 20) or control group (N = 20). Participants were asked to complete both the Parental Stress Index–Short Form (PSI–SF; including its three sub-scales) and an amended Arabic version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS): pre- and posttest by both groups, and a six-week follow-up test by the experimental group. A CBT-based group counseling program was designed and 14 sessions were held three times per week over a four-week period. The difference between the pre- and posttest scores for the two groups revealed that the experimental group was significantly more likely to have lower levels of parental stress and depression. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in scores between the experimental group’s posttest and follow-up assessment: Total Stress (Total PSI), Parental Distress (PD), and depression had all decreased significantly; Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction (PCDI) had also decreased, but not significantly; however, although not significantly, stress levels associated with a Difficult Child (DC) had increased.

Keywords: Group counseling program; Parental stress; Depression; Mothers; Jordan; Children with autism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pkp:ijoeap:v:8:y:2020:i:3:p:518-535:id:663

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