Psychological interventions to reduce distress and improve quality of life in families with autistic children

The experience of childbirth and becoming a parent can become particularly distressing when newborn has a severe chronic disability, like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Families with autistic children face an overload of their adaptive capacities and crisis situations that can in turn lead to various negative psychological consequences on each parent, the couple, children, and the whole family. Indeed, parents of autistic children show high incidence of psychological distress and mental disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders, depressive symptoms). Evidence suggests that parents of children with ASD may benefit of comprehensive and flexible psychological interventions to reduce parental distress and promote the wellbeing and improve the quality of life of the family.