Cognitive appraisals in high- and low-stress mothers of adolescents with autism.

The present study examined cognitive appraisals in 8 high-stress and 8 low-stress mothers of autistic adolescents. Subjects' cognitive appraisals, based on videotaped scenes of autistic adolescents engaged in everyday activities, were assessed. High-stress mothers reported more threatening appraisals than did low-stress mothers; low-stress mothers were more likely to reappraise threatening perceptions in benign terms. Furthermore, high-stress mothers reported greater negative emotional reactions to the scenes. Trends toward fewer resources and higher levels of maladaptive behaviors in the autistic adolescents of high-stress mothers were noted. The implications of these findings on stress in the day-to-day lives of mothers with autistic adolescents are discussed.