Abstract

The study examined and compared the maladaptive schemas and coping styles among the mothers of children with autism and children with Down syndrome in Shiraz. The study was applied in terms of purpose and causal-comparative in terms of data collection. The population was all the mothers with autism and those with Down syndrome children in Shiraz, whose children were receiving special educational-rehabilitation interventions in special educational and rehabilitation centers in the academic year 2018-2019. The sample was selected from among the mothers with autism and those with Down syndrome in Shiraz based on age of children (7-10 years). Thus, the researcher first prepared a list of special educational centers and rehabilitation of children with Down syndrome and autism and visited these centers. Getting the consent of the mothers of these children to participate in the research, the researcher went to them and proceeded to collect information. Regarding this, two samples of 40 mothers of children with autism and mothers of children with Down syndrome were selected. Data were collected using Young maladaptive schema (1988) and Park and Andler (1990) coping styles questionnaires and then were statistically analyzed. The results indicated a significant difference between incompatibility schema and coping styles in mothers of children with autism and those with Down syndrome.