Stress, anxiety and depression in parents of children with autism spectrum disorders in Kazakhstan: prevalence and associated factors.

Introduction: Studies worldwide reported increased levels of stress among parents of children with autism due to the unique caregiving challenges. While research has shown that parents' and autistic child's demographics and behavioral characteristics are associated with psychological distress among caregivers of children with autism, very few studies have investigated the impact of the caregiver's unmet needs on various aspects of the perceived family burden. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms among a wide range of 146 parents with different sociodemographic characteristics, social support and unmet needs who care for children with autism spectrum disorder. These parents were recruited from autism non-governmental organizations and the National Children's Rehabilitation Center in Astana, Kazakhstan, a post-Soviet country in Central Asia. Multiple linear regression analyses were utilized to examine the relationship of parental psychological distress variables with social support, unmet needs and parental and child sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Significantly higher levels of stress and depression were reported among parents who perceived their needs as being unmet or extremely unmet as addressed by societal acceptance as compared to parents who reported adequate levels of needs met by social acceptance. Employed parents and parents with a higher level of perceived friends' support had less symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Conclusions: Increasing public awareness about autism and providing early detection and interventions for distressed caregivers of children with autism may be helpful in improving healthy functioning of parents and the entire family.

"Chasing hope": Parents' perspectives on complementary and alternative interventions for children with autism in Kazakhstan.

LAY ABSTRACT: The article reports the findings of a qualitative research study on how and why parents of autistic children in Kazakhstan utilize complementary and alternative medicine. We found that parents turn to complementary and alternative medicine because of the lack of professional care options available to them and in pursuit for hope and opportunities for their children with ASD.

Professional and practice characteristics associated with self-efficacy in assessment and intervention among social workers in aging.

This study examined professional and practice characteristics associated with assessment and intervention self-efficacy among gerontological social workers in Ontario, Canada who participated in online surveys. Results from multivariate analyses indicated that higher client acuity, longer duration of practice experience, smaller caseloads, and a greater proportion of clients 85 and over were significantly associated with greater assessment self-efficacy. Greater client acuity and smaller caseloads were also significantly associated with greater intervention self-efficacy. Implications for education include the importance of providing practical experience with the oldest old and with clients with greater biopsychosocial complexity. Also recommended is the need for manageable caseloads, especially when older adults with complex needs are part of the practice milieu.

Job Satisfaction Among Gerontological Social Workers in Ontario, Canada.

Little is known about job satisfaction among Canada's social work workforce in aging, although social workers remain a key component of interdisciplinary care in health and social service settings. This study begins to address this gap in knowledge by examining individual, interpersonal, and job-design factors influencing the job satisfaction of gerontological social workers in Ontario. Data were collected via two online surveys with a sample drawn from the Ontario Association of Social Workers' membership list (N = 104). A multiple regression model explained 37% of the variance in job satisfaction, F = 5.47[10, 93], p < .001). Three independent variables were significant (positive affect, ß = .21; promotional chances, ß = .21; and client acuity, ß = -.18). The results suggest the importance of promoting strategies for enhancing job satisfaction, advancing promotional opportunities for social work clinicians, and providing educational and clinical supports to clinicians.