Effectiveness of a Cognitive-Behavioral Counseling Program In Reducing Stress Among Saudi Mothers of Children with Autism

Background and Purpose: Families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face significant, lifelong challenges that often impair social communication and create a high-stress environment. In Saudi Arabia, mothers are typically the primary caregivers and report disproportionately high levels of psychological distress and social isolation (Alghamdi et al, 2026; Alodaili et al, 2026). This study evaluated the effectiveness of a group-based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) program designed to reduce psychological stress among Saudi mothers of children with ASD.

Methods: A randomized experimental design was used with (N=30) mothers of children with autism (ages 6–14) in Riyadh. Participants were assigned to an experimental group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). The intervention utilized the Singer and Hawkins (1989) CBT framework, consisting of 8 weekly sessions focusing on relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and social support. Data were collected using the Psychological Stress Scale for Parents of the Disabled and analyzed with Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests.

Results: Findings showed a statistically significant decrease in psychological stress for the experimental group post-intervention (z = 3.41, p < 0.01). Conversely, no significant changes occurred in the control group (p > 0.05). Post-test comparisons confirmed significant differences between groups (U = 8.50, p < 0.001), with the experimental group exhibiting significantly lower stress levels than the control group.

Conclusions and Implications: Results provide strong evidence for the efficacy of CBT in mitigating caregiver stress in Saudi Arabia. Clinical social workers should implement structured, family-centered support programs to address mothers' specific psychological needs. Policy implications include integrating counseling services within autism centers and expanding professional training to support the family unit.