Stress in parents of preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders: an update review

Abstract

Background: Parental stress experienced in the context of caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in preschool is significant and has been poorly studied; studies tend to focus on more advanced ages of children where parental symptomatology has become chronic. The current study sought to provide new empirical evidence on factors associated with parental stress. Methods: An exhaustive search was conducted in four academic databases: CINAHL Complete, Medline Complete, Web of Science (WoS), and Scopus, limiting the articles to those published between 2017 and 2023. Results: The sample obtained consisted of 24 selected articles, which were produced in 11 countries, and all were in English. In terms of content, the topics addressed were the manifestation of parental stress, factors of the child with ASD and their relationship with parental stress, factors of parents of children with ASD, family factors of parents of children with ASD, social factors of parents of children with ASD, parental stress and access to formal care services, and parental stress and specialized interventions. Conclusions: It is possible to affirm that research reports indicate that the general level of stress among parents of children with ASD is compared to their reference groups, both in relation to child-related stress and other stressors. The variables that affect parental stress exhibit a reciprocal influence among them, so interventions aimed at early childhood should incorporate both the children and their parental figures. This is in consideration of the impact that stress has on the mental health of parents, establishing that parents with better health have early access to support services during the early years of parenting, as well as in later years.

Keywords

• Autism. Parental stress. Preschool children.