Date Presented 04/03/2025
Group-based mental health interventions aimed at caregivers of children on the autism spectrum are explored, highlighting the potential role OT practitioners can play in implementing mindfulness and peer support interventions to improve family well-being.
Primary Author and Speaker: Bella Sansone
Contributing Authors: Jewel Elias Crasta, Katarina M. Garibian, Allison Lucas
PURPOSE: Caregivers of children on the autism spectrum often experience high stress, anxiety, and depression. Typically, interventions focus on the child, neglecting the mental health of caregivers, who play a crucial role in supporting the child’s well-being. This review explores group-based mental health interventions for these caregivers, aiming to identify strategies that reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while enhancing quality of life.
DESIGN: A scoping review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Selected studies included randomized control trials, controlled clinical trials, cohort studies, and qualitative studies, focusing on group-based mental health interventions for caregivers of children over 10 years old on the autism spectrum.
METHOD: Articles were sourced from PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO in August 2024. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts in Covidence. Data on intervention types and outcomes were extracted, with thematic analysis identifying common strategies.
RESULTS: Twenty-four studies were included. Key themes included mindful movement, peer support, mindfulness-based parenting, and cognitive change techniques. Mindfulness interventions, sometimes involving both caregivers and children, were most effective in reducing stress and enhancing well-being. Peer support interventions also improved mental health but showed mixed results for stress reduction.
CONCLUSION: Group-based interventions, particularly those emphasizing mindfulness and peer support, show potential to improve caregivers’ mental health. However, findings on stress reduction are mixed. Future research should identify effective intervention components and explore the role of occupational therapy practitioners in supporting caregiver mental health.
IMPACT STATEMENT: This review underscores the role of occupational therapy in supporting autism caregivers, offering group-based interventions to boost caregiver resilience and family well-being.
References
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