Parenting Self-Efficacy and Psychological Distress in Parents of Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Strong mastery beliefs and solid co-parenting lift parenting confidence and shield autism parents from distress.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Acosta et al. (2024) sent online surveys to parents who have a child with autism. They asked how sure parents feel about handling daily parenting tasks. They also asked how much stress, anxiety, or sadness the parents felt.
The team looked at two things that might shape parenting confidence: mastery beliefs ("I can solve problems") and co-parenting teamwork ("We back each other up").
What they found
Parents who scored high on mastery beliefs and good co-parenting also felt more confident in their parenting. That same group reported lower psychological distress.
In plain words: when parents believe they can cope and feel supported by their partner, they stay calmer and happier.
How this fits with other research
Enav et al. (2020) asked parents to reflect on interactions with each child. Parents showed deeper reflection with their autistic child than with typical siblings, and higher self-efficacy strengthened that reflection link. The two studies line up: self-efficacy is a protective factor across different parent tasks.
Dudley et al. (2019) and Nickerson et al. (2015) go one step further. They ran parent programs and saw parenting confidence rise after training. Alexander’s survey work now gives those programs a clear target: boost mastery beliefs and co-parenting harmony.
Hamlyn-Wright et al. (2007) once thought an external locus of control might explain why stress turns into anxiety or depression in autism parents. They found no such link. Acosta et al. (2024) replace that dead end with a working path: self-efficacy, not locus of control, mediates distress.
Why it matters
You can measure parenting confidence in your first parent meeting. If it is low, weave mastery-building activities into parent training: break tasks into doable steps, celebrate small wins, and teach problem-solving. Invite both parents (or any co-caregivers) so they can practice backing each other up. These quick moves may cut parent stress before it grows, making the whole family more ready for your child-focused interventions.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Research suggests that challenges associated with raising a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can increase parents' risk for diminished parenting self-efficacy (PSE) and psychological wellbeing. The present study aimed to explore interrelationships between noteworthy predictors of PSE and parental psychological distress, including parental mastery beliefs and the co-parenting relationship amongst 122 Australian parents of children with autism. Results indicated that greater mastery beliefs and more favourable co-parenting relationships predicted greater PSE, and higher PSE predicted less psychological distress. PSE significantly mediated relationships between mastery beliefs and psychological distress, and between the co-parenting relationship and psychological distress. Findings have implications that can aid professionals to more effectively support parents raising children on the autism spectrum.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.01.050