Determining the relationship between internalized stigma and dysfunctional attitudes and automatic thoughts in parents of adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between internalized stigma, dysfunctional attitudes and automatic thoughts in parents of adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. Method: This research was designed with a cross-sectional and correlation-seeking design. This research was carried out by Eskişehir Özkan Halaç Vocational School and Eskişehir Dr. Safa Halaç Special Education Secondary School. It was conducted between September 2023 and January 2024 with 303 parents at Personal Information Form, Parents' Internalized Stigma of Mental Illnesses Scale, Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale and Automatic Thoughts Scale were used to collect data. Frequency and percentage analyses, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA test, Pearson correlation analysis and Regression analysis were used in our research. Findings: It was determined that there was a positive, moderately significant relationship between parents' dysfunctional attitudes (r=0.430; p<0.01) and automatic thoughts (r=0.548; p<0.01) and parents' internalized stigmatization of mental illnesses. Parents' automatic thinking level affects 30.1% of the internalized stigma level. (ß=40.117; p<0.01). Dysfunctional attitudes were found to affect 18.5% of parents internalized stigma (ß=43.263; p<0.01). Conclusion: Dysfunctional attitudes and automatic thoughts affect the internalized stigma experienced by parents of adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. It is recommended that psychiatric nurses pay attention to these risk factors in their intervention practices for parents. Keywords: neurodevelopmental disorders, internalized stigma, dysfunctional attitudes, automatic thoughts, parent, psychiatric nurse