MATERNAL GRIEF FOR THE "IDEAL CHILD" FOLLOWING AN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS: AN UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

Abstract

The diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can lead to significant changes in family dynamics and require the reorganization of previously established expectations regarding the child's development and future. In this context, part of the literature describes experiences of loss and grief related to the discrepancy between the idealized child and the reality experienced after diagnosis. This study aimed to understand, based on the scientific literature, how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may contribute to the understanding and management of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects associated with grief for the idealized child experienced by mothers of children with ASD. This is a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive-analytical bibliographic study based on research addressing ASD and family, motherhood, grief, ambiguous loss, psychological distress, parental adjustment, and psychological interventions. The findings showed convergence regarding significant emotional repercussions among some mothers and caregivers, including sadness, anxiety, guilt, stress, and burden, although the intensity and interpretation of these experiences vary according to individual and sociocultural factors. Processes of acceptance, resilience, reorganization of expectations, and construction of new meanings were also identified. Intervention studies indicate benefits of CBT for anxiety, depression, stress, and parental psychological distress; however, the available evidence remains insufficient to establish its specific effectiveness for maternal grief related to the idealized child. It is concluded that CBT provides relevant theoretical foundations for understanding the relationship between interpretations, emotions, and behaviors associated with maternal experience and may support individualized interventions, provided that grief is not assumed to be a universal consequence of diagnosis and that family, social, and cultural factors are considered.