Social Inclusion of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Mothers' Mental Health in Two Arabic-Speaking Countries: A Mediational Model of Culture and Resilience

Objectives: Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been reported to be more likely to experience lower levels of mental health as a result of the increased challenges associated with care provision and social inclusion of their children. Social inclusion in Arab countries differs in terms of quality and practices due to ecological and cultural variations. Based on an expected impact of culture and resilience, this study investigated the relationship between social inclusion practices and mothers' mental health in two Arabic-speaking countries. Methods: A total sample of 660 mothers of children with ASD from Oman and Egypt participated in the study and were administered measures of perceived social inclusion practices, mental health, and resilience. Results: Multi-group path analyses showed that culture and resilience have an impact on the association between social inclusion practices and mothers' mental health. Conclusions: Our findings have significant implications for social inclusion practices. They underscore the need to build mothers' resilience to improve their mental health. Additionally, social inclusion practices need to be prioritized by policy makers and professionals in Arab countries in order to develop a model of best practices of social inclusion across Arab countries.