The sense of bond with the spouse and the level of stress and burnout of their mental powers in parents of children with autism

Abstract

This article presents the results of research aimed at checking whether there is a relationship between the level of sense of bond between spouses, parental stress in parents of children suffering from autism and their psychological burnout syndrome. Autism is a holistic development disorder with significant levels of dysfunction affecting many areas of the child's mental functioning. Autistic disorders are characterized by impaired ability to participate in interpersonal relationships, delay in or lack of the development of verbal and non-verbal communication. Raising a child with autism is a serious challenge. The study of 42 parents raising a child diagnosed with autism was conducted with the Szopiński Marriage Bond Scale, QRS Holroyd's Resources and Stress Questionnaire and the Hoffer Parental Burn Scale. Research suggests that a strong bond between spouses can buffer the impact of stressful factors associated with caring for a child with autism. Research shows that cooperation can become the most important factor constituting a marriage bond, eliminating sources of stress, and reducing its level. Research indicates that the level of parental stress is related to the burnout of parents' psychological forces.