MATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN AUTISM - RESPONSE TO PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION

This study assessed the impact of a psychoeducational intervention on the depressive symptoms of 28 mothers of young children with autism or related disorders. Mothers in two demographically comparable, treatment and no-treatment groups completed the CES-D Depression Scale at the time of the child's diagnosis, and at 6, and 18 months later. Repeated measures analysis of variance procedures revealed a significant treatment time interaction. Mothers who participated in the psychoeducational treatment program designed to help them understand their children's disability and manage learning and behavior problems of their children decreased in depressive symptoms over time, as contrasted with mothers without treatment who showed no change over time. Results are discussed in terms of understanding maternal depression in most of these families as a modifiable adjustment reaction to the stress of caring for a child with a chronic disability.