Resilience and social support as predictors of post-traumatic growth in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: There are few studies about the role of resilience and social support in post-traumatic growth (PTG) in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Aim: This study examined the relationship between social support, resilience, and PTG and the predictive role of resilience and social support related to PTG in Saudi Arabian mothers.

Methods and procedures: A survey-based quantitative study was conducted in 88 mothers aged 18-46 years (M = 33.5; SD = 8.02) who had a child with ASD. They were sampled from nine day care centers in Riyadh and the Central-Eastern-Southern region.

Outcomes and results: The findings showed a significant positive correlation between perceived social support, resilience, and PTG, and revealed that Resilience-competence was the only significant predictor of PTG-personal strength, appreciation of life, spiritual change new possibilities, and total PTG, while positive acceptance of change was a significant predictor of PTG-relating to others. Moreover, social support from friends and significant others were significant predictors of PTG-total.

Conclusions and implications: We found that, for mothers of a child with ASD in Saudi Arabia, the biggest factors predicting post-traumatic growth were a notion of personal competence and social support from friends. Intervention is suggested to lower the risk of trauma.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Children with ASD; Mothers; Post-traumatic growth; Resilience; Saudi Arabia; Social support.