Measuring positive parenting experiences among parents of children with autism: validation of the Kansas Positive Contribution Subscales in Chinese parents

Abstract

Positive parenting experience can serve as a key psychological resource for parents and caretakers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, there has been limited evidence on the psychometric validity of measures to assess this construct, especially in non-Western contexts. This research explored the psychometric properties of two subscales in the Kansas Positive Contributions Subscales (i.e. happiness and fulfilment and strength and family closeness) in Chinese parents of children with ASD. Results of confirmatory factor analyses showed that the scores from the modified two-factor model of positive parenting experience had the best fit. Both subscales had moderate reliability coefficients. Furthermore, happiness and fulfilment and strength and family closeness were linked to lower levels of child’s externalizing behaviors. This study contributes to scarce evidence on measuring positive parenting experience in non-Western cultural contexts.