The Effect of Supportive and Cognitive- Behavior Group Therapy on Mental Health and Irrational Believes of Mothers of Autistic Children

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

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

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

Abstract

Background and Objective: Autistic disorder is one of the developmental pervasive disorders that is characterized with impairment in social interaction, delayed development in communication skills and restricted relational model. Due to various problems of these children, their families, especially their mothers are under stress. Therefore, family education such as training of coping strategies, problem solving and change of irrational believes is mandatory
 This study is aimed to evaluate the effect of cognitive- behavior and supportive therapy on mental health and irrational believes of mothers of autistic children.
Subjects and Methods: The sample of this research consists of twenty mothers of autistic children. Subjects were placed randomly in control and experimental groups. Measurements were mental health inventory and Jones irrational believes questionnaire. The Experimental group was participated in 10 sessions of group therapy.
Results: The result of covariance analysis showed that cognitive- behavior and supportive group therapy improved  mental health scores of experimental group in post-test stage (p<0/001). Scores of irrational believes were not significantly different.
Conclusion:  Cognitive- behavior and supportive intervention could be effective in improving mental health of mothers of autistic children.
Sci Med J 2012;10(6):637-645

Keywords

References

 
1-Sadock BG, Sadock VA .Comprehensive Text Book of Psychiatry. 9 th ed.  Philadelphia: Volkmar, Klin, Robert, Schultz & Matthew; 2009: 3540.
2-Malone CA. Observation on therole of family therapy in child psychiatric training. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry. 1974; 13: 437-58.
 3-Mohammadi-Zade A, Pooretemad H, Maleck-Khosravi G. The primary examination of effect of guided imagination by music on reduction of depression, anxiety, & stress in mothers with autistic children. Journal of Research Family.  2005; 3: 289-92.
 4-Gray DE. High functioning autistic children and the construction of “normal family life”. Journal of Social & Medicine. 1997; 44(8): 1097-106.
5-Hobart HM, Smith W. Autism and family in the People’s Republic of China: Learning from parents' perspectives. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities. 2008;  33(1-2): 37-47.
6-Chime N, Pooretemad H, Khoram-Abadi R. Problems and needs of mothers with autistic children. Journal of Research Family. 2007; 3(3): 697-707.
7-Rafei T. Autism: Evaluation & treatment. Tehran: Danjeh; 2008: p. 187-92.
8-Turnball AP, Turnball HR. Families, professional and exceptionality: A special partnership. Columbus: Merrill; 1997.
9-Edhem D, Salem Safi P, Amiri M, Dadkhah B, Mohammadi M, Mozafari N, et al. The examination of mental health of students in medical sciences university of Ardebil. Journal of Medical Sciences University of Ardebil. 2007; 8(3): 229-34.
10-Smit TW, Zurawasky RM. Assessment of irrational believes the question of discriminant validity. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 1989; 39(4): 87-93.
11-Soudani M. Comparing effect of individual and group counseling by method of rational emotive behavior therapy on reduction of irrational believes in single and male students of education & basic sciences majors in Ahvaz (Dissertation). Tehran: Tarbiyat Moallem University; 1996.
12-Taghi poor M. The examination of comparing of irrational believes in psychosomatic disorders and normal individuals (Dissertation). Tehran: Allame Tabatabai University; 1998.
13-Howton K, Salkvskis PM, Kirk J, Clark DM. Cognitive behavioral therapy for psychiatric problems: A practice guide. Tehran: Argmand; 1989.
14-Sadock BG, Sadock VA. Comprehensive Text Book of Psychiatry. 9 th ed.  Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2009.
15-Harris S, Dryden W. An Experimental Test Up a Core REBT Hypothesis. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 2006; 24(2).
16-Wild J. Relationship between Cognitive Distortions and Anger. Journal of  Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapists. 2004; 11(1).
17-Calvete E, Lolga C. Self-Talk in Adolescents: Dimensions, States of Mind, and Psychological Maladjustment. Journal of Cognitive Therapy and Research. 2002; 4(4): 473-92.
18-Lin L, Orsmond GI, Coster WJ, Cohn ES.  Families of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders in Taiwan: The role of social support and coping in family adaptation and maternal well- being. Journal of Research in Autism Spectrum Disorder. in press, 2010.
19-Dunn M, Burbine T, Bowers C, Tantleff- Dunn S. Moderators of stress in parents of children with autism. Journal of Community Mental Health. 2001; 37: 39-51.
20-Papageorgiou V, Kalyva E. Self- reported needs and expectations of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders who participate in support groups. Journal of Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 2010; 4: 653-60.
21-Mak WS, Kwok TY. Internalization of stigma for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders in Hong Kong. Journal of  Social Science and Medicine. 2010 70: 2045-51.
22-Abbeduto L, Selter MM, Shattuk P, Krauss MW, Orsmond G, Murphy MM. Psychological well- being and coping in mothers of youth with autism, down syndrome, or fragile X syndrome. American  Journal of  Mental Retardation. 2004; 109: 237-54.
23-Fishman S, Wolf L, Ellison D, Gillis B, Freeman T, Szatmar P. Risk and protective factors affecting the adjustment of siblings of children with chronic disabilities. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1996; 35: 1532-41.
24-Seltzer MM, Greenberg JS, Krauss MW. A comparison of coping strategies of aging mothers of adults with mental illness or mental retardation. 1995; 10: 64-75.
25-Sharpley CF, Bitsika V, Efremidis B. Influences of gender, parental health, and perceived expertise of assistance upon stress, anxiety and depression among parents of children with autism. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability. 1997; 22: 19-28.
26-Siklos S, Kerns KA. Assessing need for social support in parents of children with autism and Down syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2006; 36: 921-33.
27-Meirsschaut M, Roeyers H, Warreyn P. Parenting in families with autism spectrum disorder and a typically developing child: Mothers' experiences and cognitions. Journal of  Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 2010; 4: 661-9.  
28-Curwen B, Palmer S, Ruddell P. Brief Cognitive behavioral therapy. London: Sage, 2000: 1-186.
Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal
Volume 10, Issue 6 - Serial Number 75
January and February 2012
Pages 637-645

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 13 September 2010
  • Revise Date: 22 October 2011
  • Accept Date: 25 October 2011

Share

How to cite

Statistics