02215nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260007600042653001100118653003100129653003800160653001800198100002700216700002900243700002600272700002000298700003600318245013500354300001000489490000700499520143900506022001401945020001401959       2024                            d  c01/2024bSociedad Española para el Estudio de la Ansiedad y el Estrés10aAutism10ainformal primary caregiver10acognitive behavioral intervention10aMental health1 aLisbeth Vázquez-Rocha1 aRoberto Lagunes-Córdoba1 aAbel Lerma-Talamantes1 aJosé M. Mestre1 aFrancisco Javier Rosas-Santiago00aEffect of a cognitive-behavioral intervention on caregivers of children with ASD: depression, anxiety, stress, and quality of life  a27-340 v303 aThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of a cognitive behavioral intervention on symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, perceived overload and quality of life in caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. An experimental study was conducted out with an intervention and control group, with self-report pretest-posttest measurements. A total of 53 caregivers participated in the study: 22 in the experimental group and 31 in the waiting list control group. The majority of participants were women between 35 and 64 years old, married or in a formal relationship, with professional or higher education and who carried out some paid activity. The results of the intergroup analysis showed a decrease in the symptoms associated with stress and perceived overload and an increase in the quality of life in the experimental group. Intra-group data showed that the subjects of the control group had no change in any variable, in contrast, in the experimental group there was a significant decrease in anxiety, stress and perceived overload indices and an increase in the quality of life. All these changes occurred with medium and large effect sizes. The mechanisms of change are analyzed and the study s findings are discussed in light of its limitations. It is concluded that a cognitive behavioral intervention is a strategy with positive effects for providing psychological support to caregivers of children with autism.  a1134-7937  a2174-0437