A Serial Mediation Model of Resilience Among Caregivers of Children With Autism.

This study looked at 193 parents and caregivers of autistic children in China to understand what helps them stay strong and resilient. The research found that having good social support helps caregivers feel more hopeful and grateful, which in turn makes them more resilient. Having hope was especially important - it explained about a quarter of how social support leads to resilience. The findings suggest that building social connections and fostering hope could be important ways to support caregiver wellbeing.

This cross-sectional study examined 193 Chinese caregivers of autistic children to understand how perceived social support influences resilience through hope and gratitude. Using validated questionnaires and serial mediation analysis, researchers found that social support affects resilience both directly and indirectly through hope and gratitude pathways. Hope showed the strongest mediating effect, accounting for 26.23% of the total relationship. The study revealed significant positive correlations between all measured factors, with perceived social support being strongly linked to hope, gratitude, and resilience.

These findings have implications for occupational therapy interventions targeting caregiver well-being and suggest that addressing social support and fostering hope may be key strategies for building resilience in autism caregivers.

Findings suggest occupational therapy interventions should focus on building caregiver social support networks and fostering hope to enhance resilience. Targeting multiple pathways (hope and gratitude) may provide comprehensive support for autism caregivers' mental health and wellbeing, potentially improving both caregiver outcomes and children's participation in activities.

Cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences. Study limited to mainland China caregivers, potentially limiting generalizability to other cultural contexts. Sample characteristics and demographic details not fully described in the abstract, making it difficult to assess representativeness.

Resilience has been reported as a vital element against the high burden on caregivers of children with autism. However, the intricate mechanisms underlying the concurrent interplay of positive factors with resilience within this demographic group remain less understood. To construct a model to verify the sequential mediating influence of hope and gratitude in the relationship between perceived social support and resilience among caregivers of children with autism. Cross-sectional study.

A total of 193 caregivers of children with autism in mainland China. Data were collected using the Herth Hope Index, C-GQ-6 Gratitude Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Resilience Questionnaire for Parents of Children With Special Needs. The hypothesized mediating model was tested with Process 4.0 (Model 6) for SPSS (Version 26.0). The relationship of perceived social support and resilience was mediated by hope, gratitude, and the hope-gratitude sequence.

Hope exhibited a stronger mediation effect, accounting for 26.23% of the total effect. The results indicated significant positive correlations between perceived social support, hope, gratitude, and resilience, with perceived social support strongly linked to the other three. This study has important implications for occupational therapy, suggesting strategies for resilience-focused interventions tailored to caregivers of children with autism. Resilience is essential for caregivers of children with autism.

Studies show that parents of children with autism report having fewer social supports, reduced quality of life, and heightened mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. This research highlights the connections between caregivers' perceived social support, hope, gratitude, and resilience. Addressing caregiver social supports and mental health can enhance caregiver well-being as well as children's participation in meaningful activities. The findings suggest practical implications and insights for occupational therapy practitioners to strengthen and foster caregiver resilience and well-being in the autism community.