Examining stress and coping levels of patriarchal men with autistic children who receive special sports training in Türkiye

Our study aims to explore the factors affecting the stress levels and coping mechanisms of parents with children on the autism spectrum in patriarchal societies. The study group consisted of fathers (n = 183; x=44.6) of children diagnosed with autism between the ages of 18-55 living in Izmir province. As a data collection tool; 'Personal Information Form' prepared by the researcher to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of Turkish fathers; 'Stress Self-Assessment Checklist (SSAC)', 'Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ)' was used. It is crucial for partners of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to support each other, a principle that holds true for fathers within patriarchal structures as well. Simply put, when parents of autistic individuals support each other, stress levels are reduced. Additionally, increased enrollment of the child in specialized education, especially those incorporating physical activities, serves as a stress-reducing factor. Another significant factor in reducing stress is the employment status of the mother. According to this finding, in patriarchal societies (such as ours), mothers are not obligated to stay at home and care for the child; they can pursue employment. Indeed, a noteworthy outcome of our study is the decrease in paternal stress when the mother is employed.