A study found that 1 in 3 parents raising children with autism spectrum disorder experience mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulty with communication and emotional exchange and by repetitive behaviors.
Yoo Hee-jung, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, and her team said on the 16th that they conducted in-depth interviews and psychological assessments with 232 children with autism spectrum disorder and 464 parents.
The study found that 29.1% of parents experienced mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compared with the prevalence of mental disorders among the general adult population in Korea at 8.5% (as of 2021), the rate is more than three times higher.
Parents with a broad autism phenotype were found to be more vulnerable to mental health problems. Parents who had difficulty grasping conversational context or had low interest in social interaction experienced more stress.
The proportion of parents with mental health problems was 22.8% for men and 35.3% for women. Fathers were mainly stressed by aggression or impulsivity in their children with autism, while mothers were mainly stressed by the children's depression or psychological problems.
The researchers said support programs focused on children with autism spectrum disorder should be expanded to parents. Yoo said, "Parents' mental health and quality of life have been overlooked," adding, "Because parents' psychological stability is important to children's emotional and behavioral development, a family-based support plan is needed." The findings were published in the international journal "Autism and Developmental Disorders."