The Problems Suffered by Parents of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder within Riyadh in Relation to Coping Styles

Abstract

The current study aimed at identifying the relationship between the problems suffered by parents of students with autism spectrum disorder in Riyadh in relation to their coping styles. The sample comprised (110) parents of students with autism spectrum disorder in Riyadh (55 fathers & 55 mothers). Tools of this study concluded: Scale of the problems suffered by parents of students with autism spectrum disorder (prepared by the researcher) and coping styles scale for parents of students with autism spectrum disorder (prepared by the researcher). Results indicated that there was a significant relationship between the problems suffered by parents of students with autism spectrum disorder and their coping styles. There were statistically significant differences between mothers and fathers of students with autism spectrum disorder in level of the problems, in favor of the mothers. There were also statistically significant differences between mother and fathers of students with autism spectrum disorder in coping styles, in favor of the fathers. Level of the problems faced by parents of students with autism spectrum disorder could be predicted through level of their coping styles.