Cognitive-behavioral therapy during COVID-19 pandemic in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: This experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design with a control group and a two-month follow-up. The statistical population of this study included all mothers of children with ASD in Tehran (Marjan Kindergarten and Psychology Center), Iran, in the year 2021. At first, 30 people were selected by the available sampling method and then randomly divided into experimental and control groups (15 experimental and 15 control). For the experimental group, the CBT was implemented in 10 sessions, each session lasting 90 minutes. The instruments used in this study included the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), the COVID stress scale (CSS), and the PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview (PSS-I). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software in two sections: descriptive [mean and standard deviation (SD)] and inferential [analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures and Bonferroni post-hoc test]. RESULTS: CBT significantly improved COVID-19 anxiety, COVID stress, and PTSD, and the results had enough consistency in the follow-up period, as well (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: CBT had a positive effect on reducing anxiety, stress, and PTSD caused by COVID-19 and can be used as an effective intervention to improve the behavior of mothers of children with ASD.