Psychological distress and coping strategies among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Introduction: Parenting a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression. Caring for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may also evoke negative emotions such as guilt, worthlessness, denial, and disappointment. This study aimed to assess psychological distress and coping strategies among parents of children with ASD.

Method: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted from February to August 2025 in the Child Health and Adolescent Ward of Kanti Children’s Hospital, Kathmandu. A total of 190 parents were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews using the K6 Psychological Distress Scale (k6) and the Brief-COPE Inventory(Brief-COPE). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Spearman’s rank correlation were used for data analysis at a 95% confidence interval.

Result: Half of the participants (50%) experienced moderate psychological distress, while 32.1% reported high distress. Most participants (94.7%) demonstrated effective coping strategies. Psychological distress was significantly higher among mothers (p = 0.012), parents who had left their job (p = 0.001), and those without autism-related training (p = 0.023). A negative correlation was observed between distress and coping strategies.

Conclusion: Despite considerable psychological distress among half of the participants, most employed effective coping strategies. Distress was significantly associated with parental role, job status, child’s schooling, and training. Enhancing parental training, promoting inclusive education, and providing psychosocial support may help reduce distress among parents of children with ASD.