Examination of depression levels of mothers with autism spectrum disorder and mothers with normal development

The purpose of this research is to examine the depression level of children with autism spectrum disorder and mothers with normal development. The level of depression in mothers of normally developing children and the depression level of mothers' children with autism spectrum disorder will be determined and compared. The sample of the study is limited to a total of 100 subjects, including 50 of the children with autism spectrum disorder who were treated at a development center in Atasehir in Istanbul and the mother of 50 children with normal development in and around Ataşehir. The Beck Depression Scale developed by Beck (1961) was used in the study and depression levels of the participating mothers were assessed by the Beck Depression Scale. The "Sociodemographic Information Form" developed by the researcher was used to obtain sociodemographic information of the mothers of autistic children and the mothers of normal development children. According to statistical analysis, there was no significant difference between the depression levels of the mother with the child with autism spectrum disorder and the mother with the normal developmental child. Coherence of the findings with the literature and other variables that may have an effect on the results were discussed and various suggestions were presented.