Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the severity of autistic behavior on the psychological well-being and marital relationship of the parents.
Methodology: Our study included 285 parents of 150 children diagnosed with autism. A structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions and a Likert scale was used. Result was analyzed using the Chi-square test to see the association between dependent and independent variables.
Results: We found a significant relationship between the severity of the behavior of autistic children and the anxiety and depression of their parents. Mothers showed higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to fathers. The study showed a significant relationship between marital satisfaction and the severity of autism.
Conclusion: Mothers displayed significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to fathers, and these heightened emotional states had a more pronounced impact on their marital satisfaction. We recommend the implementation of government-funded programs that offer accessible and specialized mental health support, financial assistance, counseling, and respite care for parents of autistic children.

Key words: Autism spectrum disorder, Depression, Anxiety.