Effect of ACT therapy on Well-being and Parenting in Mothers of Autistic children

INTERVENTION: Intervention 1: Intervention group: Intervention Description: The intervention group will receive Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The intervention will consist of 8 to 10 weekly sessions, each lasting 90 minutes, and will be delivered by a trained psychologist. The protocol is based on the standard ACT model and focuses on the si Xcore processes: acceptance, cognitive defusion, present‐moment awareness, self‐as‐context, values, and committed action. Session content is as follows: Session 1: Group introductions, explanation of the therapy goals and structure, setting session rules, establishing therapeutic rapport, and pre‐test administration. Sessions 2–3: Introduction to ACT, experiential avoidance, creative hopelessness, and maladaptive coping patterns. Sessions 4–5: Training and practice of cognitive defusion and self‐as‐context. Sessions 6–7: Acceptance, mindfulness, and present‐moment awareness. Sessions 8–9: Identifying personal values, goal setting, and committed action. Final session: Review and consolidation of learned skills, reinforcement of their application in daily life, and post‐test administration. A two‐month follow‐up will be conducted after the end of the intervention period to assess the sustainability of the treatment effects. All sessions will be delivered in a structured group format, and no pharmacological agents or medical equipment will be used in this intervention. Intervention 2: Control group: The control group will be assigned to a ‘wait‐list’ control condition. During the study period, participants in this group will not receive any psychological or educational interventions similar to the experimental group. In accordance with ethical standards, after the completion of the study, if the intervention proves effective, the educatio CONDITION: F43.2 Psychological outcomes in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ; Adjustment disorders PRIMARY OUTCOME: Experiential Avoidance. Timepoint: Pretest, posttest, and 2‐month follow‐up. Method of measurement: Acceptance and Action Questionnaire‐II (AAQ‐II) developed by Bond et al. (2011). Intolerance of Uncertainty. Timepoint: Pretest, Posttest, and 2‐month follow‐up. Method of measurement: Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) developed by Freeston et al. (1994). Meta‐parenting. Timepoint: Pretest, Posttest, and 2‐month follow‐up. Method of measurement: meta‐parenting questionnaire developed by Hawk & Holden (2006). INCLUSION CRITERIA: Being mother of a child with autism Being in the age range of 25 to 45 years Not suffering from specific psychiatric disorders or physical diseases that require the use of drugs or special treatment Not being divorced or head of household