| This research examines the psychological health and well-being of mothers raising children with autism for the purposes of developing a support group to address their experiences and needs. Although many fathers often support, participate and share in the caregiving life of their autistic children, literature suggests that mothers in particular assume the primary caregiving role of raising autistic children and that the complex demands of this role contribute to heightened levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. In order to develop the support group, a needs analysis was conducted, encompassing qualitative interviews with mothers and other caregivers raising children with autism as well as teachers and mental health professionals with extensive experience working with these families. A bench marking analysis was performed in order to evaluate a prototypical institution that will be most suitable to a support group for mothers. The critical review of the literature, findings from the needs assessment, and the bench marking data guided in the formation of a manualized program that outlines the weekly sessions and implementation of a support group for mothers raising children with autism. |
