The Effect of Applied Group Training Given to Mothers With Children With Autism on Perceived Social Support, Depressive Symptoms and Self-compassion

• Data Collection Tool: Data collection tools consist of four parts.

• Descriptive characteristics form: It consists of eight questions about the descriptive characteristics of the child with autism and the caregiver, including questions about the caregiver's age, gender, education level, and problems encountered in care.
• Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale: The original form was developed by Zimet et al. (1988) in the United States of America and its adaptation to Turkish, reliability and validity study was conducted by Eker, Arkar, Yaldız (2001). With the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, the adequacy of social support received from three different sources is subjectively evaluated. The Likert-type scale, which is scored from 1 to 7, ranges from 4 to 28 for the sub-dimensions and from 12 to 84 for the total score of the scale. A high score indicates that the perceived social support is high.
• Beck Depression Inventory: It was developed in 1978 by Beck et al. to measure depression levels of individuals. Beck Depression Inventory is a frequently used inventory that measures emotional, physical, cognitive and motivational symptoms of depression. The purpose of the Beck Depression Inventory is not to diagnose but to objectively measure the depression level of the individual. Its Turkish validity and reliability was carried out by Durak and Palabıyıkoğlu in 1994. Each of the subcategories in the scale consists of 4 items and is graded with 0 to 3 points. A maximum score of 63 and a minimum score of 0 can be obtained. Scores between 0-9 points are considered as normal, 16-23 as moderate depression, 24-63 as severe depression.
• Self-Compassion Scale:

It is a self-report scale developed by Neff (2003) and adapted to Turkish by Akın et al. (2007). It consists of a total of 6 sub-dimensions and 26 items: Self-Compassion, Self-Judgement, Awareness of Sharing, Isolation, Consciousness and Overidentification. The score of the 5-point Likert-type scale varies between 26 and 130. Since selfjudgement, isolation and overidentification are negative subscales, their items are reverse coded. The averages of the six subscales give the total mean of self-compassion. Mean scores between 1-2.5 indicate low level of self-compassion, scores between 2.5-3.5 indicate medium level of self-compassion and scores between 3.5-5 indicate high level of self-compassion. The internal consistency coefficients of the scale were found between .72 and .80.

Data Collection Process

The data will be collected face-to-face by the researchers when the caregivers bring their children to their institutions. In the preliminary preparation phase; the author (HK) will inform the unit managers of the centres where the study will be conducted about the aims of the study and the application processes, the personal data form and scales will be applied by the researcher in a quiet classroom environment, after the individuals to be included in the experimental and control groups are determined, the preliminary data will be collected from both groups before the training is given. The group training programme will be completed in six consecutive weeks, two per week, and the caregivers will be divided into two groups of 12 people with the support of the school administration according to their arrival to the school. The first group will be organised on Tuesday and the second group on Friday. For those who cannot attend both groups, weekly training will be given on Saturdays. Each group session will last 45-60 minutes, the first 10 minutes will be spent summarising the previous session, 40 minutes will be spent implementing the plan in line with the session topic, the last 10 minutes will be spent evaluating and summarising the session and ending the session by explaining the next session topic.

No application will be made to the individuals in the control group during the study. The pretest scales will be applied individually by the researchers when the participants come to the unit to give information about the study and to obtain voluntary consent. The post-test will be administered six weeks after the pre-test at the same place and by the same researchers.

Sessions

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• Meeting with the group members, introduction of the group process, explanation of the session topics,
• Difficulties in caring for a child with autism and coping behaviours
• Self-Compassionate approach training practices
• I discover my strengths through painting activities for the recognition and expression of emotions.
• Gaining Positive Health Behaviours: Interpersonal communication and using supports, anger management
• Gaining Positive Health Behaviours: Managing Stress, Progressive relaxation techniques and taking questions
• Data Analysis:

The data obtained in the study will be analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) for Windows 22.0 programme. Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation will be used as descriptive statistical methods in the evaluation of the data. The homogeneity of the descriptive characteristics according to the groups will be analysed by chi-square and t-test. The kurtosis and skewness values related to the normal distribution of the scale scores will be examined and the reference value ranges (+2.0 and -2.0; George, & Mallery, 2010) will be determined, the difference of the scale scores between the groups will be analysed by independent samples t-test and the change within the group will be analysed by dependent samples t-test (paired samples). Cronbach's alpha values will be calculated when calculating the reliability coefficients of the scales. For all statistical analyses, the significance level will be accepted as p<0.05.

Inclusion criteria

• Being a parent of a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 1-18
• To have assumed the responsibility of giving primary care to the child with autism,
• Having provided care for at least 6 months,

Exclusion criteria

• 1-Mental or physical disability, 2-Having participated in a similar training programme before