Relação entre o estresse, fatores de personalidade e apoio social: um estudo comparativo entre pais de crianças e jovens com transtorno do espectro autista

Abstract

Handling the needs of the child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can lead to overload and parental stress, anxiety symptons and depression. In this study the objective was to evaluate the personality traits, coping strategies and social support in relation to stress level, anxiety symptoms, and depression in parents of children, with ASD. The manuscript is organized in independent articles and in this version there will be presented three articles. Article 1: Investigated the evidence found in the literature about the indivudual variables, personality traits, wich influence in the stress and coping of mothers of people with ASD. Systematic literature review, between 2009 and 2019. The main evidences point out that there is a high stress level in mothers, in 90% of the studies. Personality was little investigated, present in only 16% of the researches. The second and third articles were produced from a quantitative, cross-sectional outline, with 346 participants, mean age 37 years (sd = 6.48), from Brazil’s five regions. Data collection was online and participants agreed to the free and clarified consentment term. Article 2: The objective was to evaluate the emotional state (stress, anxiety and depression) and to compare groups of parents of children with ASD. Parents were divided into three groups, based on the age of their children: G1: 0-5 years old, G2: 6-11 years old and G3: over 12 years old. In order to analyse the data, Descriptive analysis was conducted, Spearman’s correlation; Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn test, and multiple regression analysis. The group comparison showed a difference in the stress variable: Behavior Restriction in G3 (p<0,010) and Child's Disability in G1 (p<0,001). In the behavioral evaluation, it presented differences in terms of Inappropriate Speech in G2 and G3 (p<0.001 in both), and in Lethargy the difference was pointed out in G3 (p<0.003). The children's age and behavior constitute a stress predictor model for this study (R²=0.33; p<0.000). The greatest stress response was observed in parents of younger children and juveniles. Article 3: The study evaluated the interaction of stress, axiety, depression, coping types and parental personality traits. Data analysis consisted of Spearman correlation tests, multiple regression analysis and mediation. In the correlations, Neuroticism was observed, which presented positive correlations, while negative Conscientiousness between stress, anxiety and depression. In the regression analysis, the strategies of Escape, Confront and Positive revaluation (R² = 0.16 p<0.000) and Neuroticism (R² = 0.15 p<0.000) are predictors of parental stress. In the mediation analysis, the indirect effects of Neuroticism were observed in the stress/depression and stress/anxiety relations. The results present a model with individual variables that explain the relation between stress and coping in families, in the context of ASD, and can be a differential for interventions in the care of families. The product of this work was na free distributed e-book with psychoeducational content, aimed at parents, with information on behavioral strategies to assist in child care and in the management of parental stress.