Mental Health Studies on The Coping Strategies of Muslim Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Malaysia (A Narrative Review)

ABSTRACT

@#Poor mental health can affect a person’s quality of life and well-being, impacting cognitive, emotional, social, and physical functioning. Mental health difficulties have been found commonly in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who often struggle to cope with a range of challenges. These parents tend to have reduced overall wellbeing. This review study targeted an under-researched area, aiming to review mental health studies on the coping strategies used by Muslim parents of children with ASD in Malaysia, focusing on psychospiritual strategies. Journal articles were searched via Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Mendeley software online databases using relevant keywords. This narrative review identified 5 studies that examined parental coping, but only 4 reported the inclusion of Muslims. This review identified a gap in published knowledge regarding coping from a spiritual perspective in Muslim families of children with ASD in Malaysia and recommended future research from a biopsychosocial-spiritual perspective.