Abstract:
The present study was focused on investigating the therapeutic efficacy of integrative, multicomponent, group-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for caregiver burden, coping strategies, and quality of life among caregivers of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study included two phases: phase 1 involved the screening of participants, whereas phase 2 was an outcome study. In phase 1, N=52 caregivers, n=6 fathers, and n=46 mothers, aged 26-60 years old of children and adolescents under 18 years with ASD were screened. The sample was recruited from public and private autism centers, hospitals, and special education institutes of Islamabad. Nonprobability purposive sampling technique was used in the study. A demographic information sheet, Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), Coping Strategies Scale for Primary Informal Caregivers (CSSPIC), and WHO Quality of Life Scale-Brief (WHOQOL-Brief) were used to collect data. In phase 2, N=9 mothers aged 31-54 years of children and adolescents with ASD who were screened in phase 1 received the intervention. Pre and post assessments were carried out. The results revealed significant reduction in overall caregiver burden (time dependence, developmental, and emotional burden), the usage of passive coping strategies, and a significant improvement in overall quality of life (social relationships, and environmental quality of life) at post assessment level. Whereas results were non-significant for other subdomains. The present study provides evidence that integrative, multicomponent, group-based CBT is an effective intervention for caregivers of children and adolescents with ASD and highlights the importance of incorporating such psychotherapeutic interventions in routine support services to support caregivers in Pakistan and across the globe.
