Association of sense of coherence and depression level among parents of children with Autism

Pages: 929-934
Smily Jesu Priya Victor Paulraj, Salasiah Ismail and Jayachandran Vetrayan (Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia)

This study aimed to examine the association between sense of coherence (SOC) and depression level among parents of children with autism. The cross sectional study was conducted and two questionnaires were used: Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29) and the Beck Depression Inventory in parents with autism children (n=50), typically developing children (n=50), and atypically developing children (n=50). Parents of children with autism and atypically developing children had a lower level of total SOC, comprehensibility, manageability, meaningfulness, and depression level compared with parents with typically developing children. The finding revealed that there was a significance difference in SOC and depression level was found between mothers and fathers. In parents of children with autism, the SOC was negatively associated with depression level. The finding suggested that the depression level experience of parents of children with autism, typically developing and atypically developing children is related strongly to a SOC.