Spirituality and Resilience among Caregivers of Children with Autism: A Mixed-methods Study

Description

Arpita Kackar, Taniya Garg, Preeti Rathi, Geeta Choudhary, Priyadarshni Solanki, and Ashok Kumar (Department of Psychology, Jai Narayan Vayas University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan)

This mixed-methods study examined the association between spiritual well-being and resilience among caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A purposive sample of 30 caregivers completed the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (Paloutzian & Elison between 1979-1982) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience (Connor & Davidson in 2003) alongside semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis revealed a positive correlation between overall spiritual well-being and resilience (r = .30), with existential well-being demonstrating a stronger association than religious well-being. Thematic analysis identified spirituality as a salient coping resource underpinning meaning-making, emotional regulation, and adaptive acceptance. Findings suggest that existential dimensions of spirituality may function as significant psychosocial correlates of resilience in long-term caregiving contexts.