Journal of family medicine and primary care
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J Family Med Prim Care · Mar 2021
The moderating effect of financial stress and autism severity on development of depression among parents and caregivers of Autistic children in Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common problem in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, little research explored the extent of anxiety and depressive disorders in parents of children with ASD. ⋯ ASD diagnosis in Saudi children is associated with high parental depressive prevalence. However, this result could be bidirectional. Stigma, future-related worry, and stress could mediate parental depressive symptoms. Our findings in Saudi parents of children with ASD corroborate the established association between parental depressive symptoms and ASD severity. Our results corroborated previous findings that neither parental gender nor child gender exert any substantial effect on predictability of depressive symptoms among parents of children with ASD. Comprehensive therapeutic packages for children with ASD should include treatment of emotional problems arising out of carer burden among their parents. Screening for parental emotional problems should be routine in autism treatment facilities.