1. Student's full name: Nguyen Thi Hau 2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: April 8, 1996 4. Place of birth: Thanh Hoa
5. Decision on student admission No. 2948/2021/QD-XHNV dated December 28, 2021, by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
6. Changes in the training process:
First renewal: From November 16, 2023 to May 13, 2024
Second extension: From May 13, 2024 to November 11, 2024
7. Thesis title: Stress among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Thanh Hoa province.
8. Major: Psychology; Code: 8310401.01
9. Scientific supervisor: Dr. Nguyen Hanh Lien, working at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
10. Summary of the thesis results:
The urgency of the research problem
Most parents of children diagnosed with ADHD experience feelings of anxiety and confusion. They can't believe their child has this syndrome. Once the problem is accepted, they begin to worry about everything related to their child's eating habits, education, communication, social functioning, and integration. They worry about how to get early and appropriate intervention for their child and what the best educational environment is for them.
Continuous and prolonged stress can negatively impact mental, physical, and emotional health, causing numerous metabolic disorders within the body, increasing blood cholesterol levels, leading to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, dystrophy, digestive disorders, gastric bleeding, headaches, abdominal pain, back pain, insomnia, depression, anxiety, sadness, menstrual disorders, etc. Unmet psychological health needs of parents with children with autism spectrum disorder will hinder family adaptation and the ability of children with autism spectrum disorder to receive intervention and support (Catalano et al., 2018).
For the reasons mentioned above, the topic "stress in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder" was chosen for research to clarify the manifestations and factors causing stress in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.
Stress
Based on the conceptual studies we have explored, we use the concept of stress in this thesis as follows: stress is a state of psychological tension that arises when people face difficult situations that are physically or mentally threatening, or one of both, exceeding their resources and ability to cope. These difficult situations are often complex, unexpected, and sometimes dangerous, and people have no solution or are at a standstill regarding possible solutions.
Proposed research model
Stressors in parents of children with ASD include: factors related to the child's characteristics (communication, social interaction, and behavioral patterns); factors related to the parents themselves (demographic characteristics, parental awareness of ASD, and proficiency in support skills); and other external factors (family, community, society). Manifestations of stress in parents of children with ASD include: emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physical stress.
Research methods
The methods used are synchronized and combined, specifically as follows: questionnaire surveys, in-depth interviews, and data analysis.
Research results
Research on the current state of stress among parents of children with developmental disorders in Thanh Hoa province has revealed the following:
For the most part, parents experience stress across four dimensions: emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral, with the most pronounced manifestation being emotional.
Factors including those related to the child's characteristics, those related to the parents themselves, and other external factors all contribute to parental stress.
Parents use both positive and negative coping mechanisms, primarily positive ones. The less negative coping mechanisms parents use, the less stress they experience, and conversely, the more negative coping mechanisms they use, the greater their stress.
Most parents desire support from family, society, and professionals, with the need for professional counseling and problem-solving assistance for their children being the top priority.
The proposed support measures to reduce stress in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presented in this study are entirely based on theoretical and practical grounds. These measures include: a group of educational and psychological measures, a group of measures to create supportive conditions, and a group of social policy measures.
The survey results indicate that the proposed measures to support and reduce stress among parents of children with ASD in Thanh Hoa province are necessary and feasible. To contribute to supporting and reducing stress among parents of children with ASD in Thanh Hoa province and to improve the quality of life for these families, a combination of the above measures should be implemented, without neglecting any one measure, with the support of the community, experts, and society.
Conclude
In our study on stress among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Thanh Hoa province, we analyzed and evaluated a range of factors influencing parental stress levels. From parental awareness and skills to support from family and the community, all play a significant role in determining the level of stress they face.
The research results indicated that stress among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Thanh Hoa is a common and multifaceted problem. The necessity and feasibility of support measures were identified, ranging from providing information and coping skills to parents to building a support network from family and community. Based on the research findings presented above, it can be affirmed that the researchers have completed their research objectives and proven their research hypothesis.
Basic keywords
Stress, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Psychological Support
11. Practical applications:
Regarding the current state of stress among parents of children with developmental disorders.
Stress in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder manifests in four areas: emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioral, with the most frequent manifestation being emotional, followed by cognitive, then physical, and finally behavioral.
Stressors in parents of children with ASD are divided into three groups: factors related to the child's characteristics, factors related to the parents themselves, and other external factors from the family, community, and society. Among these, factors such as proficiency in child-care skills and the number of ASD children in the family influence the level of stress experienced by parents.
Parental stress coping mechanisms include both negative and positive coping strategies, with parents primarily using positive ones. The more negative coping mechanisms a parent uses, the more stressed they become, and conversely, the less or no negative coping mechanisms they use, the less stressed they become.
Parents have diverse support needs from family, society, and professionals, with their greatest concern being the need for professional guidance and advice on how to address their children's problems.
Regarding measures to help reduce stress for parents with children with developmental disorders.
Based on the research findings, we developed support measures including a group of measures: educational and psychological measures, measures to create supportive conditions, and social policy measures. The survey results show that all measures are urgent, highly feasible, and closely correlated with each other.
Based on the research findings presented above, it can be affirmed that the researcher has completed the research task and proven the research hypothesis.
12. Future research directions:
Based on the research findings in this thesis, the author will continue to research and address issues related to parental stress in inclusive education for autistic children in the future.
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name: Nguyen Thi Hau 2. Sex: Female
3. Date of birth: April 8, 1996 4. Place of birth: Thanh Hoa
5. Admission decision number: 2948/2021/QD-XHNV, Dated: December 28, 2021
6. Changes in academic process:
Extension 1: From November 16, 2023 to May 13, 2024
Extension 2: From May 13, 2024 to November 11, 2024
7. Official thesis title: Stress in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Thanh Hoa
8. Major: Psychology
9. Code: 8310401.01
10. Supervisors: Doctor Nguyen Hanh Lien, Faculty of Psychology. University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
11. Summary of the findings of the thesis:
The Urgency of the Research Issue
Most parents, after their child is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), experience feelings of confusion and anxiety. They initially cannot believe that their child has this condition. Once they accept their child's challenges, they start worrying about everything related to the child, including nutrition, education, communication, social functioning, and integration skills. They wonder how to ensure early intervention, appropriate intervention, and identify the best educational environment for their child.
Continuous and prolonged stress can negatively impact parents' mental and physical health, potentially leading to various internal metabolic disorders, raising blood cholesterol levels, and resulting in cardiovascular disease, hypertension, malnutrition, digestive disorders, gastric bleeding, headaches, abdominal pain, back pain, insomnia, depression, anxiety, sadness, and menstrual disorders. When the psychological health needs of parents with children on the autism spectrum are unmet, it can hinder family adaptation and limit the intervention and support opportunities available for children with autism (Catalano et al., 2018).
For these reasons, the study titled "Stress in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder" was chosen to clarify the manifestations and factors causing stress in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.
Stress
Based on studies on the concept, we define stress in this research as follows: stress is a psychological state of tension that arises when an individual faces challenging situations that pose physical, mental, or combined threats, which exceed their resources and coping abilities. These challenging situations are often complex, unexpected, and sometimes dangerous, with solutions that may be unavailable or blocked.
Proposed Research Model
Factors Causing Stress in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
The stress-inducing factors for parents with children diagnosed with ASD include:
Child-related factors (such as communication, social interaction, and behavioral patterns);
Parent-related factors (such as demographic characteristics, parents' understanding of ASD, and proficiency in support skills);
External factors (family, community, and society).
Manifestations of Stress in Parents with Children with ASD
Stress manifestations in these parents include emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physical aspects.
Research Methodology
The study employs a combination of methods, including questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and data analysis.
Research Findings
The study on stress among parents of children with ASD in Thanh Hoa province revealed that:
Most parents experience stress across four dimensions: emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral, with emotional stress being the most prevalent.
Stress is caused by child-related factors, parent-related factors, and other external factors.
Parents adopt both positive and negative coping strategies, predominantly positive strategies. When parents rely less on negative coping strategies, their stress levels decrease, whereas increased use of negative coping strategies intensifies stress.
Support Needs
Most parents express a desire for support from family, society, and professionals, with the primary need being professional consultation and assistance in resolving their child's issues.
Proposed Support Measures
The study proposes several support measures to reduce stress in parents of children with ASD, grounded in both theoretical and practical foundations. These include educational and psychological measures, measures to establish supportive conditions, and social policy measures.
Survey results show that the proposed measures to support and reduce stress in parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Thanh Hoa province are necessary and feasible. To contribute to the support and alleviation of stress for these parents and to improve the quality of life for families, it is necessary to implement a combination of the above measures. No measure should be overlooked, and all should be supported by the community, professionals, and society.
Surgery
In this study on parental stress among parents of children with ASD in Thanh Hoa province, we analyzed and evaluated a range of factors affecting parental stress. From parental awareness and skills to support from family and community, each aspect plays a significant role in determining the level of stress that parents face.
The study results reveal that stress among parents of children with ASD in Thanh Hoa is a common and multidimensional issue. The necessity and considerations of support measures have been identified, including providing information and coping skills for parents and establishing support networks within family and community settings. With the findings presented, the research has achieved its objectives and validated the research hypothesis.
New Terms
Stress, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Psychological Support
12. Practical applicability:
About the current state of stress in parents of children with autism
Stress manifestations in parents of children with autism include four aspects: emotional, physical, cognitive and behavioral, in which the most frequent manifestation of stress is the emotional aspect, followed by the cognitive aspect, then behavioral the physical aspect and finally the aspect.
Factors that cause stress in parents of children with autism are divided into three groups including factors related to the child's characteristics, factors related to the parents themselves and other external factors from family, community. community and society are different. In particular, the factors include mastering stress support skills for children and the number of children with autism in the family that affect the level of stress expression in parents.
Ways to cope with stress in parents include negative and positive ways of coping, in which parents mainly use positive ways of coping. The more negative coping methods, the more stressed parents are, and conversely, if parents don't use them or rarely use them, their stress will decrease.
Parents all have different support needs from family, society and experts, of which parents are most concerned about the need for experts to guide and advise on how to solve their children's problems.
About support measures to reduce stress in parents of children with autism
Based on the results of studying the current situation, we develop support measures including a group of educational - psychological measures, a group of measures to build support conditions and a group of social policy measures. festival. festival. Survey results show that the measures are urgent, highly feasible, and closely correlated with each other.
With the results of the current situation research presented above, it can be confirmed that the researcher has completed the research task as well as proven the research hypothesis.
13. Further research directions, if any:
Based on the research results in this thesis, in the future the author will continue to research and implement issues related to parental stress in inclusive education for children with autism.
