The Relationship between Hope, Optimism, and Happiness Among Parents of Children with Autism Disorder

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Special Education - Faculty of Education - Ain Shams University

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the levels of hope, optimism, and happiness among parents of children with autism disorder. It also aimed to identify the relationship between hope, optimism, and happiness among those parents. The study participants were (70) parents of children with autism disorder (35 mothers, 35 fathers), whose ages ranged between (33-48) years of age, and their children's ages ranged between 7-12 years of age. The study used the Hope Scale (Snyder et al., 1991; Arabicized and standardized by the researcher), Life Orientation Test- Revised LOT-R (Scheier et al., 1994; Arabicized and standardized by the researcher), and The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire- short-form version (Hills & Argyle, 2002; Arabicized and standardized by the researcher). The results of the study revealed lower levels of hope, optimism, and happiness among parents of children with autism disorder. The study results also revealed a relationship between hope, optimism, and happiness among parents of children with autism disorder. Considering these results, the researcher believes that hope may play a mediating role in the relationship between optimism as an independent variable and happiness as a dependent variable among parents of children with autism disorder.

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References

 
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