Examination of the mediation role of social support in the relationship between anxiety level and marital satisfaction among mothers of neurodiverse children

The aim of this study is to examine the parallel multiple mediating role of social support in the relationship between anxiety levels and marital satisfaction among mothers of neurodiverse children. The study was conducted with 188 married mothers aged 18 and over, residing in Türkiye, who have a neurodiverse child. The instruments used in the study included the Informed Consent Form for Voluntary Participation, the Eligibility Form for the Study, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the Marital Satisfaction Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. To examine the relationships among the variables, correlation analysis and Parallel Multiple Mediation Analysis (PROCESS Macro, Model 4) were employed. The results indicated that social support received from family had a significant mediating role in the relationship between anxiety levels and marital satisfaction, whereas the mediating roles of social support received from friends and from a significant other were not found to be significant. The findings were discussed within the context of the relevant literature, and suggestions for future research and practical applications were presented at the end of the study.