Stressors, cultural values and maternal well-being in Taiwanese mothers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder

In this study, 67 mothers of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Taiwan were recruited to investigate their perceptions of stressors embedded in the Chinese culture, Chinese cultural values and maternal well-being when caring for their son or daughter with ASD. Mothers completed self-administered written questionnaires and participated in a semi-structured interview. Taiwanese mothers reported experiencing high levels of strain caring for their son or daughter with an ASD. About one-third of the mothers perceived that stressors had negative impacts on caregiving burden and depressive symptoms when raising their son or daughter. Chinese cultural values may help some Taiwanese mothers reappraise the stress and motivate them to engage in the caregiving tasks. This study explores how mothers care for adolescents and adults with ASD within a Chinese cultural context.