Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social-communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors. In India, caregivers, especially mothers, face compounded stress due to limited awareness, inadequate services, and cultural stigma. Existing evidence suggests that structured psychoeducation can enhance parental coping and knowledge while reducing psychological distress. Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a six-week culturally adapted parent psychoeducation program in improving parental stress, coping mechanisms, and autism-related knowledge and attitudes among caregivers of children with ASD. Methods: A pre-post interventional design was employed with 23 parents of children diagnosed with ASD, recruited from a tertiary care center in North India. The psychoeducation intervention, adapted from Patra et al. (2015), was delivered in an online group format. It included sessions on autism understanding, behavior management, communication strategies, and stress regulation. Standardized instruments- Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale (ASKS; Harrison et al., 2017), Societal Attitudes Toward Autism Scale (SATA; Gillespie-Lynch et al., 2015), Coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP; McCubbin et al., 1983), and Parenting Stress Scale (PSS; Berry & Jones, 1995)—were administered before and after the intervention. Post-assessment was conducted within one week of program completion. Results: Paired-sample t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements across all outcomes: knowledge (t(22) = 11.33, p < .001, d = 2.36), attitudes (t(22) = 7.21, p < .001, d = 1.50), coping (t(22) = 6.60, p < .001, d = 1.38), and stress reduction (t(22) = 4.76, p < .001, d = 0.99). Regression analysis showed that knowledge gains significantly predicted lower post-intervention stress (β = 0.61, p = .048), controlling for baseline stress. No dropouts were recorded. Conclusion: The study affirms the feasibility and effectiveness of structured, group-based psychoeducation for Indian caregivers of children with ASD. Such interventions offer a scalable, culturally relevant, and low-cost strategy to strengthen caregiver well-being and improve family outcomes, especially in low-resource settings.

Niharika Sharma is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at IILM University, India. She is an RCI-licensed Clinical Psychologist and trauma-informed psychotherapist with extensive experience in psychological assessment, psychotherapy, and community-based mental health care. In her current role, she primarily teaches postgraduate students in clinical psychology, with a focus on psychopathology, psychometric assessment, and therapeutic interventions. She also has a strong research orientation, with particular interests in psychosocial health and culturally grounded clinical practice.