The social facet of stress among Iranian mothers of children with ASD: A????qualitative study

The pilot study aims to identify the sources of stress experienced by Iranian mothers raising children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The research was conducted from a qualitative perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted with five Iranian women. From their statements, the leading causes of stress associated with raising a child with ASD were identified.Results indicated that mothers feel constant stress in their daily lives, which was described in temporal (stress in the past, present and concerning the future) and social dimensions (mothers’ personal concerns, stress related to the child, stress resulting from social relationships). Lack of knowledge and public awareness of autism, as well as lack of sufficient institutional and economic support, are two significant sources of stress and anxiety experienced by mothers. Familiarizing society with autism and the possibility of full social inclusion of people with ASD are necessary conditions for reducing the maternal stress analyzed in the study.