Perceived burden of respondents.

The parents of children with autism spectrum disorder face a mountain of practical problems. Helpful coping resources enable to restore equilibrium, otherwise, parents can perceive burden. The aim of the study was to find out the perceived burden and coping strategies among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Kanti Children’s Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal among 78 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder selected by purposive sampling and interviewed using structured questionnaire. Zarit Burden Interview-22 tool was used to assess perceived burden and BRIEF COPE inventory tool was used to assess coping strategies among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16. Frequency, mean, range and standard deviation were used to represent socio-demographic variables, clinical variables, perceived burden level and coping strategies. Chi-square test was used to find out association between socio-demographic variables and perceived burden level. Spearman rank correlation was used to find out relationship between perceived burden and coping. Mild burden was perceived by 42.3%, moderate perceived by 39.7%, severe perceived by 10.3% and no burden were perceived by 7.7%. The mean score (26.85) was higher at emotional focused coping strategies. No association was found between demographic factors and level of burden. Emotional focused coping (r = 0.288, p = 0.01) was positively correlated with overall burden.Majority of parents had mild burden while more than one third had moderate burden. The most popular coping mechanism, emotional focused, had a positive correlation with overall burden.孤独症谱系障碍（autism spectrum disorder）患儿的家长往往面临诸多实际难题。有效的应对资源可帮助其恢复心理平衡，反之家长则可能感知到照料负担。本研究旨在探究孤独症谱系障碍患儿家长所感知到的照料负担及其应对策略。 本研究为横断面分析研究，于尼泊尔加德满都的坎蒂儿童医院（Kanti Children’s Hospital）开展，通过目的抽样法选取78名孤独症谱系障碍患儿家长，采用结构化问卷进行访谈。本研究采用扎雷照料负担访谈量表-22（Zarit Burden Interview-22）评估患儿家长的照料负担，采用简明应对方式问卷（BRIEF COPE inventory）评估其应对策略。 本研究采用社会科学统计软件包（Statistical Package for Social Sciences）16.0版进行数据分析。采用频数、均值、极差与标准差来描述社会人口学变量、临床变量、照料负担水平及应对策略；采用卡方检验分析社会人口学变量与照料负担水平之间的关联；采用斯皮尔曼等级相关分析探究照料负担与应对方式之间的相关性。 结果显示，42.3%的家长感知到轻度照料负担，39.7%感知到中度负担，10.3%感知到重度负担，另有7.7%未感受到负担。情绪焦点应对策略的平均得分最高（26.85分）。未发现社会人口学因素与照料负担水平之间存在显著关联。情绪焦点应对方式与总照料负担呈显著正相关（r=0.288，p=0.01）。多数家长存在轻度照料负担，超过三分之一的家长存在中度照料负担。最常用的应对方式为情绪焦点应对，该方式与总照料负担呈正相关。