Objective: To determine the effectiveness of time perspective therapy on parental burnout, intolerance of uncertainty, and emotion processing styles in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Method: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The sample consisted of 30 mothers who were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received eight sessions of time perspective therapy. Instruments included the Parental Burnout Assessment, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and the Emotional Information Processing Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance.

Results: The therapy significantly reduced parental burnout and its components including exhaustion in parental role, contrast with past parental self, feelings of aversion to parental role, and emotional distance from children. Also, significant reductions were observed in intolerance of uncertainty and its components including prospective anxiety and inhibitory anxiety. In emotion processing, significant improvements were found including reduced suppression, avoidance, and unprocessed emotion symptoms, and increased emotional control.

Conclusion: Time perspective therapy, through adaptive review of the past, realistic acceptance of the present, and creating a balanced attitude toward the future, can reduce parental burnout and intolerance of uncertainty and improve emotion processing. This intervention is an effective method for reducing emotional and parenting problems in mothers of children with autism.