An Overview of Assessment Instruments Used to Evaluate Stress and Parental Coping of Parents of Autistic Children

Abstract

A number of studies have demonstrated that parents of children with developmental disabilities experience higher levels of
stress than parents of typically developing children, others studies have shown that parents of autistic children shows more stress than
parents of mental retardation children and down syndrome children. Parents of such children face more challenges in everyday living to
cope with different stressful events. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the different instrument used to evaluate stress of
parents of autistic children and strategies that parents report aid them in coping with stress. The method of research of electronic
databases on the internet has been used. Systematic review of research articles published in scientific journals having as search criteria
and key words the terms: autism spectrum disorders, coping strategies, stress, parental stress, coping technique. The review report
instruments that are used professionally in assessment of parental stress of parents of autistic children and report that parents used a
variety of strategies to cope with stressors to having a child with autism. This review inspires a number of implications for clinical
practice, it necessary when developing an interventional program for children with autism, to assess not only the child but also the
parents, assessment of parental stress should became a routine part of child evaluation and practitioners can help parents to teach
techniques for coping with stress.