Coping and psychological adjustment among mothers of children with ASD: an accelerated longitudinal study.
Teach moms to reframe thoughts and cut disengagement to protect their long-term mental health.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers followed 86 moms of kids with autism for seven years. Kids were 8-14 years old. Moms filled out surveys each year about how they coped and how they felt.
The team tracked four coping styles. Cognitive reframing means finding a bright side. Engagement means tackling problems head-on. Disengagement means pulling away. Distraction means avoiding thoughts.
What they found
Moms who used cognitive reframing felt better over time. Moms who used disengagement or distraction felt worse. Engagement had mixed results.
These patterns held steady across all seven years. The benefits or harms grew stronger with time.
How this fits with other research
Kuenzel et al. (2021) later showed child behavior problems and money stress predict mom depression. Dixon (2014) adds that mom's own coping choices matter too.
Gaynor et al. (2008) found acceptance helps moms of kids with ID. Dixon (2014) shows a similar boost from cognitive reframing in autism moms.
Bigby et al. (2009) saw positive reappraisal help Down syndrome parents. Dixon (2014) mirrors this in autism, but calls the skill reframing.
Why it matters
You can teach moms to spot negative thoughts and flip them. Add brief reframing lessons to parent training. Watch for moms who shut down or zone out. Swap those habits for active problem solving. Over years this small shift can protect her mental health while she raises her child.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add a 5-minute thought-reframing exercise to your next parent session.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Utilizing a cohort sequential design and multilevel modeling on a sample of 113 mothers, the effects of four coping strategies (engagement, disengagement, distraction, and cognitive reframing) on multiple measures of maternal adjustment were assessed over a 7 years period when children with autism spectrum disorders in the study were approximately 7-14 years old. Findings indicated increased use of disengagement and distraction to be related to increased maternal maladjustment over time, while increased use of cognitive reframing was linked to improved maternal outcomes (findings regarding engagement's effects on adjustment measures were mixed). In addition, results indicated that use of different coping strategies at times moderated the effects of child behavior on maternal adjustment. Study findings are discussed in light of prior research and study limitations and clinical implications are highlighted.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2014 · doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2079-9