Anxiety, Depression, and Coping Strategies among Parents of Children with Autism in Abu Dhabi

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses a variety of lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders that begin in childhood, marked by challenges in social communication and interaction. Raising a child with ASD often leads to heightened psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, for parents. Objective: This study aimed to assess the levels of anxiety, depression, and coping strategies among parents of children with ASD at the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination in Abu Dhabi. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 200 parents who participated, and data were collected using a sociodemographic survey, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Results: There were 180 females and 92 males involved in this study. The respondent’s mean age was 42 years old (SD=11.8). The results show that the majority of the respondents had moderate anxiety levels n=72 (36%) and high depression levels (48.5%), and most of the respondents were medium resilient copers (81.3%). There was no significant difference in coping strategies based on anxiety level (p=0.470) and depression level (p=0.297. Frequency of education (p=0.011), employment (p=0.028), marital status (p=0.022), number of children (p=0.001), gender (p=0.028), and the age of the child (p=0.010) was significantly varied with anxiety level. Depression levels significantly varied based on marital status (p=0.035) and the child’s education (p=0.002). Additionally, coping mechanisms were associated with the parents’ age (p=0.019), children’s age (p<0.001), marital status (p=0.009), income (p<0.001), and education (p=0.002). Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of understanding the psychological and emotional challenges faced by parents of children with ASD to support their needs.