Published Paper Details:

Background: Raising a child with disability presents a lifelong challenge for both the parents and other family members and adapting to the nature of the illness can lead to disturbances within the family across multiple aspects. Aim: This study aims to compare parental stress, family burden and coping among parents of children with Intellectual Disability (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Materials and Methods: The current study was an observational study with a descriptive correlational design. It included 106 parents of children with ID (n=54) and ASD (n=52). Assessments of parental stress, family burden and coping were conducted using Parental Stress Scale, Family Burden Interview Schedule, Coping Checklist and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support respectively, through telephonic interviews, conducted by Master of Science (M.Sc.) Nursing student, during COVID-19 period. Results: There was a significant difference in overall parental stress (p=0.04) and overall perceived social support (p=0.01) between both groups. Parents of children with ID experienced greater parental stress, whereas, parents of children with ASD perceived high social support. Moreover, in this study, after performing bivariate analysis, there was difference in correlates of parental stress, family burden and coping between the two groups. Conclusion: Parents of children with ID often experiences high levels of parental stress. Nurses can play an important role in identifying stress, burden and maladaptive coping, and hence introducing positive coping skills, forming and encouraging family support groups to increase their social support, potentially reducing parental stress.