Influence of spirituality and religiosity on perceived social stigma among Iranian caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND

The perceived social stigma of caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may negatively affect caregivers' mental health and, consequently, the quality of care for these children. Religious and spiritual well-being may serve as protective factors against such stigma. This study aimed to examine the relationship between spirituality, religiosity, and perceived social stigma among caregivers of children with ASD.

METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2022 to June 2023 in Qom, Iran. A total of 102 caregivers were recruited from specialized rehabilitation centers through convenience sampling. Participants completed the Multidimensional Inventory for Religious-Spiritual Well-being (MI-RSB 48) and the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses (SSCI-8), along with a demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean perceived social stigma score was 16.85 ± 6.76, with 45.5% of participants reporting higher-than-average social stigma. All dimensions of spiritual-religious well-being, except belief in the afterlife and the experience of meaning, showed a significant negative correlation with perceived social stigma (P < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the child's age (β = 0.401, P = 0.018) and hope transcendent (β = 0.418, P = 0.012) were significant negative predictors of perceived stigma, explaining 59% of the variance.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that fostering transcendent hope and spiritual connectedness may mitigate the perceived stigma among caregivers of children with ASD, highlighting the potential of spirituality-based interventions in rehabilitation programs.