| Popis: |
Background: The behavioural characteristics of an autistic child can lead to challenging relationships with the mother. For mothers who serve as the key person in the care of their children with ASD, maintaining good mental health, which may be directly related to the growth and development of their children, is an important issue for professionals engaged in parenting support. The aim of this study was to determine the interaction between the behavioural problems of children with ASD (from toddlers to adolescents) and their mothers’ depression. Subjects and Method: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The recruitment of subjects was through a paediatric out-patient unit. Eighty-six mothers with ASD participated in this observational study. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scalewas used as a measure of depression in mothers, and the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) was used as an assessment of the children’s behavioral characteristics. The prevalence of depression among mothers of children with ASD was estimated and related factors were also examined. Results: There were 66 boys (76.7%), 12 girls (14.0%) and 8 (9.3%) non-responders. Comparing the pre- adolescent and adolescent groups, there were significant differences in the ages of mothers and children (P |
