Relationship between coping, rumination and posttraumatic growth in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders

•Mothers raising a child with ASD reported various levels of growth, mostly in the domain of personal strength.•Having another child may facilitate mothers’ growth in “appreciation of life” and mothers raising a boy with ASD experienced less “spiritual change” than those raising a girl. Length of diagnosis was not related to the growth.•Mothers’ growth could be promoted by increasing their deliberate rumination, reducing intrusive rumination, and increasing positive coping strategies after receiving their children's diagnosis of ASD.

This study examined the relationship between coping, rumination and posttraumatic growth in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One hundred and two mothers of autistic children in China were surveyed using Post-traumatic Growth Inventory, Trait Coping Style Questionnaire, and Event Related Rumination Inventory. Mothers reported mediate level of PTG, mostly on the growth of personal strength. Hierarchal regression analysis indicated that positive coping positively predicted PTG and growth on “relating to others”; deliberate rumination was positively correlated with growth on “appreciation of life”; and intrusive rumination negatively predicted growth on “personal strength”, “new possibilities” and “spiritual change”. No statistically significant relationship between negative coping and PTG was found. The results may be used to provide mothers with a better understanding of the underlying growth process and assist service providers in facilitating this progress.