Avaliação de estresse, bem-estar psicológico e uma proposta de intervenção na autocompaixão de cuidadores de crianças com transtorno do espectro autista

Abstract

Fathers and mothers of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) people show higher levels of stress and emotional overload, as well as a lower-than-average self-compassion and psychological well-being repertoire, if compared with caregivers of typically developing children, according to research in the field. Self-compassion includes the presence of self-kindness and niceness to oneself, towards their own self-suffering and difficulties, as well as a posture of courage and motivation to assuage them. Psychological well-being encompasses the abilities to deal with emotions, thoughts, and difficulties in order to organize the environ in which the individual lives and to build a significant life. Studies show that self-compassion contributes to the reduction of stress, anxiety, depression, and concern, supporting the increase in psychological well-being, satisfaction with life and quality of life. The present research had the objective of evaluate the stress and psychological well-being indicators and to propose an intervention in self-compassion amongst mothers and fathers of ASD children, verifying if the intervention modified those indicators. The training was composed by five sessions where themes about parenting, parental stress and self-compassion were discussed. 77 people had taken part in the research in the pre-test period and 10 caretakers made into the ending of the intervention (post-test). The following instruments were used before the intervention: 1) Sample Characterization Questionnaire; 2) Self-Compassion Scale (SCS); 3) Parental Stress Scale (PSS); 4) Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS). In the post-treatment, the participants answered one more time the SCS, the PSS and the PWBS and an Intervention Evaluation Questionnaire. The research was made in the online genre, due to the Covid-19 pandemic since the recruitment to the intervention. The quantitative data analysis identified a positive correlation between the positive aspects measured in the self-compassion scale and the psychological well-being, and the negative aspects of the scale correlates themselves negatively with the parental stress; and pointed that there were not changes with statistical meaningfulness in the self-compassion and parental stress indicators between pre and post intervention. However, alterations in the general score of psychological well-being were observed, as on the purposes of life domains and positive relations with others in the instrument that evaluated that construct. The qualitative data analysis indicated that the participants identified positive changes in the relationship with themselves and with their children, as well as an increase in the connection with the present moment, in the selfkindness, satisfaction with life and a reduction of stress, comparison and shame after the intervention. The findings of this research are aligned with the international literature that discuss that interventions in self-compassion contribute to the increase in psychological wellbeing, betterment in quality of life, greater satisfaction, and reduction of the psychological suffering in autistic children’s parents. The research brought new findings for literature, in special in which refers to the correlation in the self-compassion scale with parental stress and on the relation between the self-compassion indicators with psychological well-being. Lastly, new studies will be able to evaluate if interventions in self-compassion with longer duration for parents of autistic children contribute for more significant changes in the self-compassion and parental stress indicators, as well as amplify the discussion about correlations between the self-compassion domains and the psychological well-being and parental stress indicators.