The relationship between the presence of depression and attachment styles of mothers with autistic children

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the presence of depression and various socio-demographic characteristics and attachment styles of mothers with autistic children. The research was descriptive and correlational in design. One hundred fifty-six mothers were included in the study. A sociodemographic characteristics information form, the Experiences in Close Relationship Inventory (ECRI), and the Beck Depression Inventory were used as the data collection tools. The mean depression score of the participating mothers was 10.86 +/- 7.92. The study findings showed that the majority of mothers developed preoccupied-style attachment to their children.