The subjective reaction to a stressful life experience that compromises the individual’s stability and ability to cope or function. For many families, a buildup of stressors can result in crisis, defined in the general population asĪn acute disruption of psychological homeostasis in which one’s usual coping mechanisms fail and there exists evidence of distress and functional impairment.

Similarly, mothers of adolescents and adults with ASD experience higher levels of stress and emotional problems compared to other parents ( Abbeduto et al., 2004), and more frequently endorse experiences of fatigue, arguments, and stressful events ( Smith et al., 2010). Mothers of children with ASD report greater emotional problems compared to mothers of children with intellectual disability without ASD and mothers of typically developing children ( Totsika et al., 2011). Parents usually have the major obligation of caring for their child (which includes management of problematic behaviors) and balancing associated stress while overseeing the well-being of the rest of their family ( Seltzer et al., 2004). Parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often report high levels of stress and mental health problems, associated with the challenges of caring for individuals with complex needs and with navigating multiple service sectors across the life course.

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