37-5 Mother-Child Relationship Quality and its Association with Maternal Well-Being: A Study of Adolescents and Adults with Autism in Taiwan
Individuals with autism typically have impairments in social interaction; thus, their social relationships in adolescent and adulthood with parents may be impacted. In past years, many Western researchers have reported that expression of positive affects mother-child relationships and also relateds to caregivers' physical and psychosocial well-being. However, less research has focused on experiences of Taiwanese mother's caring for an adolescent or adult with autism. A sample of 60 adolescents and adults (mean age = 16.8 years, age ranged from 10 to 31 years) with autistic disorder and their mothers in Taiwan were recruited for this study. To investigate the mother-child relationship and its underlying causes, the participants' co-residing mothers were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire about mother and child interactions and the factors related to mother and child relationships. The results showed that children's feeling of trust toward their mothers and mothers' affection for children played an important role in mother-child relationships. The quality of mother-child relationships was also significantly correlated with age and functional independence of individuals with autism. Additionally, results demonstrated that mothers' emotional status, worry about their child, levels of depression, and burden from being a caregiver were negatively associated with the quality of mother-child relationships. The findings indicated factors that may influence mother-child relationships, and also highlighted the association between the quality of parent-child relationship and mother's well-being. Practitioners can use this study's findings to implement optimal interventions for families of individuals with autistic disorder. The results from this study provide information to support the design of adequate interventions that meet the needs of adolescents and adults with autism and their caregivers in Taiwan.
Keywords
autism ； maternal well-being ； mother-child relationship
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