Hosein Hoseinnejad - Department of Counseling, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Farhad Chopaniyan - Department of Speech Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Omid Sarvi Moghanlo - Department of Psychology and Exceptional Children Education, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Rostami - Department of Counseling, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.
Asghar Dadkhah - Department of Counseling, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Objectives: The present study was conducted to compare the relationship between marital satisfaction and happiness in parents of autistic and normal children. Methods: This causal-comparative research was conducted on all parents of autistic and normal children who referred to the rehabilitation clinics in Tehran in ۲۰۱۷. Using available sampling, ۲۲۰ parents (۱۱۰ parents with autistic and ۱۱۰ parents with normal children) were selected. Data collection was done using the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Scale and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. The Mann-Whitney and independent t-tests were used for data analysis.  Results: The obtained results showed that in all components of marital satisfaction and happiness, except for conflict resolution, parents of normal children had significantly higher scores than the parents of children with autism (P<۰.۰۵). Discussion: According to the results, there is a possible relationship between the autism disorders of children and their marital satisfaction and their parents’ happiness.

Autism, Marital satisfaction, Happiness