Effect of an Educational Program on Strains and Coping Patterns of Family Caregivers Having Autistic Children

Background: Autistic children face stigma and discrimination worldwide, making them a vulnerable group. Aim: to assess effect of an educational program on the strains and coping patterns of the family caregivers having autistic children.. Subjects and method: A quasi-experimental method was used in this study. Subjects: A number of 67 family caregivers have autistic children. Setting: This study was performed in all integration schools (12 schools) that provide education for autistic children and in three specialized centers for autistic children in Port Said City. Tools: Three tools were used in this study, which include Tool I: a structured interview sheet; Tool II: a caregiver strain questionnaire); and Tool III: a brief cope scale. Results: results revealed that, in the pre-program of the studied caregivers, 14.9% of them had either an unsatisfactory or partially satisfactory knowledge level, after program implementation, 98.5% of them had a satisfactory level, 92.5% of the studied family caregivers had a high level of strain in the pretest; in the post-program, the percent decreased to 32.8%, more than 31.3% of the family caregivers had a low coping pattern in the pre-program; in the post-program, 98.5% of them had a high score of coping pattern. Conclusion: A highly statistically significant improvement was detected post program in the knowledge and coping strategies of caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder, which means, the educational program was successfully attaining its aim of positively enhancing the knowledge, coping strategies of caregivers when caring for their autistic children. Recommendation: Continues health education for caregivers, that emphasizes improving their comprehension of ASD, practice, and better coping strategies.