The Effectiveness of Quality-of-Life Therapy on Subjective Well- being and Hope in Parents of Autistic Children

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Deprtment of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of health Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Deprtment of Clinical Psychology, School of Psychology and Education, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran.

3 Deprtment of Clinical Psychology, Young Researchers and Elite Club, Medicine Branch, Islamic Azad University,Tehran, Iran.

4 Department of Psychiatry, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

5 Department of Statistics, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Objective: Autism disorder in children has damaging effects on parents. Attending to psychological issues, especially subjective well-being and hope of these parents is important. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of quality of life therapy on subjective well-being and hope in parents of autistic children.
Subjects and Methods: This study is a pre- and post-test design with control and experimental groups. The population of this study consisted of all parents of autistic children in Nahal exceptional children school in Ahvaz from whom 30 parents were selected by purposive sampling and were divided randomly into two groups of 15 persons allocated as experimental and control groups. They were matched for age, educational status, and socioeconomic status. The experimental group received 8 sessions of quality of life group therapy, but the control group did not receive any intervention. The instruments of this study were subjective well- being questionnaire and hope scale that participants completed in pre- and post-tests. Descriptive statistical methods and covariance analysis were used for analysis of the data.
Results:There was a significant difference between experimental group and control groups in terms of subjective well-being and hope (P<0.0001). The rate of subjective well-being and hope in experimental group in post-test was significantly higher than the control group.
Conclusion: According to these results quality-of-life therapy, as combination of positive psychology and cognitive-behavioral therapy, can increase the rate of subjective well-being and hope in parents of autistic children.

Keywords

References

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Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal
Volume 13, Issue 1 - Serial Number 88
March and April 2014
Pages 53-65

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History

  • Receive Date: 02 May 2013
  • Revise Date: 03 November 2013
  • Accept Date: 04 December 2013

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