The Relationship Between Optimism, Coping, and Depressive Symptoms in Hispanic Mothers and Fathers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 46; no. 7; pp. 2427 - 2440
• Main Authors: Willis, Kelcie, Timmons, Lisa, Pruitt, Megan, Schneider, Hoa Lam, Alessandri, Michael, Ekas, Naomi V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.07.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Attitude - ethnology; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - ethnology; Autism Spectrum Disorder - psychology; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic children; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Census of Population; Cerebral Palsy; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Coping; Coping skills; Coping strategies; Depression; Depression (Psychology); Depression - ethnology; Developmental disabilities; Disability; Down Syndrome; Families & family life; Fathers; Fathers - psychology; Female; Gender Differences; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic Americans - psychology; Humans; Intervention; Latin American cultural groups; Life Satisfaction; Male; Mental depression; Mothers; Mothers - psychology; Neurosciences; Optimism; Optimism - psychology; Original Paper; Parents; Parents & parenting; Parents - psychology; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Pessimism; Positive Attitudes; Psychological Patterns; Psychology; Public Health; Quality of life; Religion; Resistance (Psychology); Sex Characteristics; Sex differences; Stress; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Well Being; New York; United States > US; Fathers; Coping; Hispanic; Psychological well-being; Mothers; Autism spectrum disorder; Optimism
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2776-7

This study examined gender differences in the relationship between dispositional optimism, coping, and depressive symptoms of Hispanic mothers ( n  = 46) and fathers ( n  = 43) of children with autism spectrum disorder. Coping was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between optimism and depressive symptoms. The results revealed that mothers reported greater depressive symptoms and greater use of positive and support coping than fathers; however, both mothers and fathers reported similar levels of optimism and use of avoidant coping. In addition, positive and avoidant coping strategies mediated the association between optimism and depressive symptoms for both mothers and fathers. Clinical implications for this study include interventions for improving optimistic outlooks as well as interventions that improve parents’ coping skills and therefore reduce negative outcomes.