Well-being In Parents Of Children Research Articles

Comparative study of stress and psychological well-being in parents of children with and without special education needs during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic, which rapidly spread worldwide in early 2020, has affected the daily lives of parents and their children in various ways. This study assessed the overall mental health status and stress experienced by parents during the COVID-19 pandemic and the differences between parents of children with special educational needs and parents of typically developing children. Additionally, we explored potential demographic factors that may influence these experiences. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected through questionnaires completed by a sample of 205 parents (103 of children with typical development attending regular mainstream schools and 102 of children with special educational needs attending special education schools) from February to April 2021. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the short form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS-S), and a demographic questionnaire. Our findings confirmed that parents of children attending special education schools reported higher levels of anxiety, reduced coping abilities, and poorer overall emotional well-being during the pandemic compared to parents of children attending regular schools. The type of educational setting that children attended was identified through multivariate analyses as the only factor consistently influencing all psychometric outcomes. Factors influencing anxiety levels included gender, older age, and family status, while family status and unemployment negatively impacted coping abilities. Taken together, the pandemic appears to have had a greater impact on the mental health of parents of children with special education needs compared to parents of children attending regular schools, highlighting the need for increased psychosocial support within this population group.

Parenting Self-Efficacy, Hardiness and Psychological Well-Being of Parents of Children with ASD

The aim of the study was to find the correlations between parenting self-efficacy, hardiness and psychological well-being in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The research subjects were 125 participants, with 92 females (M=32, SD=6.2) and 33 males (M=36, SD=7), obtained using a purposive sampling technique from a population with the following criteria: parents of children with ASD who came from Yamet community in Central Java. Data was collected using the following scales: parenting self-efficacy (α=0.81), hardiness (α=0.84) and psychological well-being (α=0.91). The data was processed to test the hypothesis using multiple regression analysis techniques. The results are F-value: 41.22 > F table, and a significance level of 0.00 <0.05, so it can be determined that there is a significant association between parenting self-efficacy and hardiness in relation to the psychological well-being of parents with ASD children. The research shows no significant differences between the participant groups based on the analysis results using a different test (t-test) on participant demographic data. These results of the study can be used to formulate further research regarding interventions for parents of children with ASD based on the theory of parenting self-efficacy and hardiness because these approaches had effectively increased psychological well-being.

Exploring Coping Strategies of Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan: A Qualitative Study.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience impairments in their social interactions, language communication, and stereotypical patterns of behavior. Parents of children with ASD experience higher levels of stress and more depression and anxiety than parents of children with other disabilities or typically developing children. Parents of children with disabilities develop coping strategies to counteract the stresses associated with raising a child with special needs. Understanding coping strategies to help counteract the stresses associated with parenting a child with ASD may enhance well-being in parents of children with ASD, improve the quality of care provided to these children, and foster better parent-child relationships. The purpose of this study was to explore the coping strategies used by parents in Taiwan parenting a child with ASD. In this descriptive qualitative study, thematic analysis was conducted on data collected during face-to-face interviews. Fourteen parents of children with ASD were recruited using purposive sampling. Researchers employed a teamwork approach for data analysis to increase the dependability and consistency of the transcribed interviews. Team members discussed coding and identified the themes collaboratively. Taiwanese parents of children with ASD coped with the psychological impacts of parenting by employing problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies. Problem-focused strategies included communication, support, and management, whereas emotion-focused strategies included acceptance and adaptation. Findings showed that both coping strategies were useful in addressing specific situations and circumstances. Social and clinical support improved parents' mental health and children's external behaviors. Healthcare providers should evaluate how parents are coping with the stresses related to raising a child with ASD and consider the cultural factors that might influence how they accept and adapt to parenting children with ASD. Understanding these variables may be used to tailor strategies appropriate to reducing stress and improving the well-being of parents and their children. Support and resource referrals should be considered, including parent support groups, books, web-based services, and recommendations for professional consultations with social workers or therapists.

Evaluating the experiences of parents of children with cancer engaging in a mobile device-based resilience training programme: a qualitative study.

PurposeA mobile device-based resilience training programme has been found to improve psychological well-being in parents of children with cancer. However, the essential elements underlying the programme’s efficacy and the factors that affect parents’ advocacy of the online resilience training remain unknown. This study explored the lived experience of engaging in a mobile device-based resilience training programme in parents of children with cancer.MethodsA descriptive phenomenological approach was used. Parents of children with cancer who had received the mobile device-based resilience training in a previous randomised controlled trial were selected to attend one-to-one semi-structured interviews. All interviews were audio-recorded. Data were analysed using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method.ResultsTwenty-one parents, comprising 15 mothers and 6 fathers, of children with cancer participated in the interview. The two following themes were identified: perceptions about the training (be beneficial for psychological well-being, be beneficial for parent–child communication and be beneficial for coping) and evaluation of the training (increased knowledge and skills, be satisfied with the intervention form and content, challenges to adhere to the programme and recommendations for future interventions).ConclusionThis study explored which features of a mobile device-based resilience training programme improved the psychological well-being of parents of children with cancer. Its findings highlight the importance of providing a resilience training programme that is based on the parents’ intervention form preferences and their mental health needs.Trial registrationNCT04038242, registered 17 July 2019.

Is Parental Mindfulness Associated with Quality of Life and Itch Intensity in Children with Psoriasis and Eczema and Well-being in Parents?

ObjectivesChildhood psoriasis and eczema negatively impact the well-being of children and their parents. Identifying variables that protect against, or reduce, the negative impact of these skin conditions could greatly improve the lives of children with these skin conditions and their parents. We therefore aimed to investigate whether higher levels of parental dispositional mindfulness are associated with lower levels of psychological distress and better quality of life in children with psoriasis or eczema and their parents.MethodsChildren with psoriasis or eczema (n = 180, M age = 10.22, females = 108) and their parents (n = 210, M age = 39.97, females = 183) were recruited from social media and NHS dermatology clinics in the UK. Parents completed questionnaires assessing dispositional mindfulness, parental stress, psychological distress (depression, anxiety, general stress), and quality of life related to their child’s skin condition. Children completed questionnaires assessing quality of life related to their skin condition and pruritus (itch intensity).ResultsParental dispositional mindfulness explained significant amounts of variance in parental stress, parent depression, parent anxiety, parent general stress, and both parent and child quality of life. These relationships were not moderated by skin condition.ConclusionParental dispositional mindfulness is associated with better well-being in parents of children with psoriasis or eczema, and their children. Mindfulness-based interventions for parents may be beneficial for improving well-being in both children with skin conditions and their parents.Trial Registration: https://aspredicted.org/xf429.pdf (see Supplementary Materials A).

Psychological wellbeing in parents of children with phenylketonuria and association with treatment adherence.

BACKGROUND Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare metabolic disorder that leads to severe neurological abnormalities unless early treated with a strict phenylalanine (Phe)-restricted diet. The parents' involvement in PKU management is crucial and could lead to psychological distress; however, few studies have explored the parents' psychological wellbeing. The study aimed to: 1) evaluate the presence of psychological distress and impaired quality of life among parents of children with PKU, assessing the impact of the diagnosis and the impact of the treatment management; 2) explore the associations between parents' psychological outcomes and their children's blood-Phe levels. METHODS One hundred thirty-eight parents of patients with PKU (who need a Phe-restricted diet) and with a mild form (mild hyperphenylalaninemia-MHP, with no diet indication) filled-out self-report psychological questionnaires; Phe-levels of children with PKU were retrieved. RESULTS Parents of children with PKU did not report higher levels of psychological distress neither compared with the normative scores nor with parents of children with MHP. Optimal Phe-levels were associated with a higher number of parents' depressive complaints, with a lower tendency to express anger feelings, with a lower social functioning, and a higher mental health. CONCLUSIONS Parents of children with PKU showed a good psychological adaptation to their children's disease and treatment. Findings highlighted associations between parents' psychological wellbeing and their children's adherence to diet. Interestingly, an optimal adherence to the diet of their children was associated with parental low social functioning, a higher tendency to control the anger expression, and greater somatic depressive symptoms.

585-P: Buffering Effects of Subjective SES on Parental Depressive Symptoms following Child T1D Diagnosis

Introduction: Parent depression is linked to negative child T1D outcomes. Some studies find that subjective (SSES) and objective socioeconomic status (OSES) are uniquely related to depressive symptoms, but few studies have examined them together in a T1D population. The current study explores the associations among SSES, OSES, and parent mood following child T1D diagnosis. Method: Participants included 157 parents (62% non-Hispanic white, 77% married, 92% female, 28% public insurance) of young children (Mage=4.46±1.64 years) newly diagnosed (M=29 days post-diagnosis) with T1D. At baseline of a behavioral RCT, parents self-reported on their depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale; CES-D; ≥16=elevated scores), SSES (The MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status), and OSES (lower OSES=public insurance; higher OSES=private insurance). χ2 test of independence was used to compare rates of elevated CES-D scores across four OSES/SSES categories (n, % elevated): both lower (n=14; 79%), lower OSES/higher SSES(n=29; 31%), higher OSES/lower SSES(n=49; 48%), and both higher (n=63; 44%). Results: There was a significant association between OSES/SSES category and parent depressive symptoms, χ2(3, N=153)=8.81, p=.03. Post hoc analyses using Bonferroni corrections indicated one significant group difference: the lower OSES/higher SSES group had significantly lower rates of elevated CES-D scores than the both lower group. Discussion: During the stressful period following a young child’s T1D diagnosis, higher perceived SES, relative to one’s peers, may be a protective factor against depressive symptoms, specifically for parents with public insurance. Despite having fewer financial resources, these parents reported depressive symptoms similar to parents with private insurance. Future studies using a positive psychology framework may examine methods to improve subjective well-being in parents of children with T1D. Disclosure C. H. Wang: None. C. Tully: None. M. Monaghan: None. M. E. Hilliard: None. R. Streisand: None. Funding National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (R01DK102561)

What is my child telling me? Reducing stress, increasing competence and improving psychological well-being in parents of children with a developmental disability

High levels of stress in parents of children with a developmental disability have been extensively documented. These heightened stress levels seem independent of diagnosis and are better explained by the level of challenging behavior of the children. Furthermore, the relationship between stress level and difficult behavior appears reciprocal. The negative impact of stress on parents’ skill development, response to difficult behavior, sense of competence, well-being and the child’s developmental outcomes have also been thoroughly detailed. The Parent Child Relationally Informed - Early Intervention (PCRI-EI) aims to expand the response repertoires of parents to help address the challenges of parenting a child with a developmental disability, including through reducing parental stress. The current study presents a quasi-experimental assessment of the efficacy of PCRI-EI in reducing stress levels and increasing sense of competency and psychological well-being in a sample of 22 parents of children with a variety of disabilities presenting to a community early childhood development service. Statistically and clinically significant changes in overall stress levels (Parenting Stress Index), psychological well-being (K6) and sense of competence (PSOC) were observed across time.

Predicting Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Roles of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Coping.

Research has consistently shown that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to report chronic stress and symptoms of psychopathology when compared to parents of typically developing children and children with other psychological or physical conditions. Certain individual characteristics might either put parents at risk or allow them to cope more effectively under the strenuous conditions of raising children with neurodevelopmental conditions. Previous research has suggested that higher levels of intolerance of uncertainty and certain coping styles are associated with higher parental levels of anxiety and depression. The aim of this study is to characterize the way in which intolerance of uncertainty and coping (avoidant and problem-focused coping) predict mental health and psychological wellbeing in parents of children with ASD. Only mothers participated in this study. Fifty mothers (Mage = 44.28 years, SDage = 6.58) of children with ASD completed questionnaires assessing anxiety and depression, psychological wellbeing, intolerance of uncertainty, and avoidant and problem-focused coping. The results from this study provide preliminary evidence that higher use of problem-focused coping but not avoidant coping and intolerance of uncertainty predicts psychological wellbeing. Furthermore, our observation of greater intolerance of uncertainty and higher use of avoidant coping predicting anxiety and depression supports previous research. The findings from this study have implications for the development of intervention programs to help improve the mental health and psychological wellbeing of parents. LAY SUMMARY: This research studied the factors that impact the mental health of parents of children on the autism spectrum. We found that mothers, who are not comfortable with uncertainty, use more avoidant coping, and less problem-focused coping have poorer mental health. Identifying these factors is a crucial first step in developing intervention programs to help improve the mental health of parents. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1797-1801. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Emotional Wellbeing in Parents of Children on Home Parenteral Nutrition.

Caring for a child on home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is stressful, and its emotional impact not fully appreciated. This study explored the emotional wellbeing and coping styles of parents and children on HPN. Questionnaire data were collected for parents of children (0-18 years) on HPN. Children 8 years and older completed the revised children's anxiety and depression scale. Parents completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Paediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP) and brief COPE. A total of 14 children were included, 20 parents (13 females) and 4 children completed the survey. Parents had mean PIP difficulty and frequency score of 117.9 and 124, respectively, higher compared to parents of children with other chronic illness. PIP scores were significantly higher where children were also enterally tube fed (P < 0.05). Thirty-five per cent parents scored above clinical threshold on anxiety subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and 30% in borderline range. On depression subscale 15% scored above clinical threshold range and 15% in borderline range. Mean anxiety and depression scores in parents of children with short bowel syndrome (11.8, 7.8) were significantly higher than those with neuromuscular disease (5.8, 1.6) P < 0.05. Coping styles differed according to health condition and whether child was enterally fed. There is a significant emotional impact of caring for a child on HPN, assessment and treatment of anxiety, depression, and stress should be a routine part of care. Individual needs of the child and parent need to be taken into account in providing the most appropriate psychological support.

The Benefits of Family-Centered Care for Parental Self-Efficacy and Psychological Well-being in Parents of Children with Cancer

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect links between the perception of family-centered care (FCC) and psychological well-being via the perceived self-efficacy of parents of children with cancer. This study also sought to identify the potential moderators of these links (treatment status and patient age). This cross-sectional study was conducted at the pediatric oncology wards of two Portuguese public hospitals. The consecutive sample comprised 251 parents (87.6% mothers) of children/adolescents (8−20 years old) diagnosed with cancer. Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring their perception of family-centered care (family-centered services and providing general information), perceived self-efficacy (regarding healthcare and parenting role) and psychological wellbeing. Results from the Structural Equation Modeling suggested that parents’ perception of FCC was indirectly, but not directly, linked to psychological well-being via perceived self-efficacy. Multi-group analyses suggested that this mediation model was valid across treatment status (on vs. off-treatment) and patient age groups (children vs. adolescents). These findings highlighted that, through the implementation of FCC, healthcare professionals may promote parents’ perceived self-efficacy and, consequently, their psychological well-being. Results also suggest that FCC may equally operate on parents’ psychosocial functioning, regardless of treatment status or patient age. Overall, our findings reinforced the benefits of FCC practices in pediatric oncology wards.

Psychological wellbeing in parents of children with phenylketonuria and association with treatment adherence.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare metabolic disorder that leads to severe neurological abnormalities unless early treated with a strict phenylalanine (Phe)-restricted diet. The parents' involvement in PKU management is crucial and could lead to psychological distress; however, few studies have explored the parents' psychological wellbeing. The study aimed to: 1) evaluate the presence of psychological distress and impaired quality of life among parents of children with PKU, assessing the impact of the diagnosis and the impact of the treatment management; 2) explore the associations between parents' psychological outcomes and their children's blood-Phe levels. One hundred thirty-eight parents of patients with PKU (who need a Phe-restricted diet) and with a mild form (mild hyperphenylalaninemia-MHP, with no diet indication) filled-out self-report psychological questionnaires; Phe-levels of children with PKU were retrieved. Parents of children with PKU did not report higher levels of psychological distress neither compared with the normative scores nor with parents of children with MHP. Optimal Phe-levels were associated with a higher number of parents' depressive complaints, with a lower tendency to express anger feelings, with a lower social functioning, and a higher mental health. Parents of children with PKU showed a good psychological adaptation to their children's disease and treatment. Findings highlighted associations between parents' psychological wellbeing and their children's adherence to diet. Interestingly, an optimal adherence to the diet of their children was associated with parental low social functioning, a higher tendency to control the anger expression, and greater somatic depressive symptoms.

Interventions to Promote Well-Being in Parents of Children with Autism: a Systematic Review

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience unique challenges in performing their caregiving roles, often experiencing greater levels of parental stress than other parents. A systematic review of the literature on interventions to improve parental well-being among parents of children with ASD was conducted using three electronic databases (ERIC, PSYCHINFO, Medline) and a combination of key terms. Forty-one of the included studies were coded according to participant characteristics, intervention characteristics, outcome measures, and study quality. The following research questions were examined: (1) What type and format of interventions have been used to improve parental outcomes among parents of children with ASD? (2) What interventions have been most effective in improving parental outcomes? (3) How strong is the evidence base for interventions aimed at improving parental outcomes? Gaps in the literature, future directions for research, and implications for practice will be considered.

Perceived stress, ego-resiliency, and relational resources as predictors of psychological well-being in parents of children with Down syndrome

&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The objective of the present study was to examine the role of perceived stress, ego-resiliency, and relational resources in maintaining psychological well-being in parents of children with Down syndrome, in particular in groups of mothers and fathers. Being a parent of a child with a disability is stressful, and it can be a burden. Despite these negative aspects of child-rearing, mothers and fathers are supported by their own resources and help from other people.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Participants and procedure&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The study included 126 parents of children with Down syndrome (75 mothers and 51 fathers). All parents were married at the time of the study (i.e. the study did not involve single parents). The subjects completed questionnaires of psychological well-being, perceived stress, ego-resiliency, quality of marital relationship, and perceived social support.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Perceived stress proved to be a negative predictor (β = –.35) of psychological well-being both in the group of all parents and in groups of mothers and fathers. Ego-resiliency, perceived social support, and quality of marital relationship were positive predictors in the group of all parents, whereas ego-resiliency was a positive predictor (β = .29) of psychological well-being of fathers; perceived social support constituted a positive predictor (β = .25) in the group of mothers.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusions&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt; The results of the present study show the factors that have a significant effect on parental well-being and may, thus, be unfavourable (e.g. perceived stress) or favourable (e.g. perceived social support for mothers, ego-resiliency for fathers) for adaptation of parents of children with Down syndrome and their mental health. Particularly interesting are the differences in groups of mothers and fathers with regard to factors positively affecting their psychological well-being: relational resources (social support) are factors important for mothers, whereas psychological inner resources (ego-resiliency) are important for fathers. Further research on the topic is needed.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Perceived Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently report poor psychological well-being. Previous research has supported mindfulness-based interventions to enhance psychological well-being in parents of children with ASD, but studies about this topic are still rare. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on perceived stress, anxiety, and depression among parents of children with ASD in Jordan. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a comparison group was used. A sample of 104 parents of children with ASD has completed the study. Parents were matched on measures of age, gender, and level of severity of ASD in their children based on DSM-V criteria and randomized to one of the two groups. The intervention group participated in 5-week mindfulness-based intervention program, while participants in the comparison group had not attended the program between pretest and posttest measures. Participants in both groups had poor psychological well-being before the intervention program. After the intervention program, the one-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that parents in the intervention group had better outcomes on the measures of psychological well-being and mindfulness than those in the comparison group (P < 0.01). Furthermore, results of paired samples t test indicated that parents in the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness scores with medium to large effect size (Cohen d between 0.42 and 0.85, P < 0.01). Although the comparison group demonstrated small improvement in measures of the dependent variables, these improvements were much less than improvements in the intervention group. The MBIs are culturally adaptable, feasible, and effective interventions to improve psychological well-being in parents of children with ASD.

Fear of hypoglycemia, anxiety, and subjective well-being in parents of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

This study explored the association between parental fear of hypoglycemia, anxiety, and subjective well-being in parents of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. A total of 120 mothers and 79 fathers participated. Mothers' and fathers' fear of hypoglycemia was significantly associated with anxiety and negative affect as well as with worse glycemic control in child. Paired-samples t-test showed that mothers were more involved in diabetes management and reported more fear and anxiety compared to fathers, but they did not differ in worries about hypoglycemia. The findings suggest screening for fear of hypoglycemia and subjective well-being in all parents regardless of whether their child experienced severe hypoglycemia.

Health-related quality of life and emotional well-being in parents of children with epilepsy referred for presurgical evaluation in Sweden.

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and emotional well-being in mothers and fathers of children with drug-resistant epilepsy, referred for presurgical evaluation in Sweden. Mothers (n=117) and fathers (n=102) of 122 children (0-18 years) completed the generic 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Mothers' and fathers' SF-36 scores were compared with age-adjusted Swedish population values using the independent t-tests. Differences in the proportions of mothers vs. fathers classified as 'noncases' or 'possible/probable' clinical cases of anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D), respectively, were assessed with the chi-square test. Parents' HADS scores were also compared using independent t-tests. Mothers had significantly lower scores compared with norms on 6 of the 8 SF-36 domains (p<0.01), while fathers had significantly lower scores on 4 of the domains (p<0.01). Mothers had significantly lower scores than fathers on 4 of the SF-36 domains (p<0.05). Significantly more mothers than fathers scored below the population mean for the SF-36 Mental Component Summary score. A significantly larger proportion of mothers than fathers had 'possible/probable' anxiety (52% vs. 38%) but not depression (30% vs. 22%). Mothers had significantly worse scores than fathers on HADS-A (p<0.01) but not on HADS-D. Mothers and fathers of children with drug-resistant epilepsy have diminished HRQoL compared with population norms. Symptoms of anxiety appear to be more common than symptoms of depression. Mothers experienced higher levels of anxiety, but not depression, than fathers and scored lower than fathers on vitality, mental health, and Mental Component Summary of the SF-36. There is a need to identify contributory factors and interventions to ameliorate these difficulties.

Mindfulness, Stress and Well-Being in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Parenting a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often associated with reduced quality of life, high stress, depression and anxiety due to the ongoing nature of care. This review systematically investigated the efficacy of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and increasing psychological wellbeing in parents of children with ASD. A comprehensive electronic database search was conducted for relevant articles. Only studies investigating parental stress or a measure of psychological wellbeing in parents of children with ASD post a mindfulness-based intervention were included. Ten studies met inclusion criteria; each was examined for treatment fidelity. All included studies contributed at least one self-report finding supporting the efficacy of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and increasing psychological wellbeing. Three studies included physiological measures of reduced stress and emotional responses. Two reported concomitant improvements in child behavior. Mindfulness-based interventions potentially have long-term positive effects on stress levels and psychological wellbeing of parents of children with ASD, in addition to enhancing their child’s behavior. Future research is needed to develop a cost and time effective intervention aimed at maximising efficacy of current interventions in children with ASD and their parents.

Coping and Well-Being in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

This study examined psychological well-being and coping in parents of children with ASD and parents of typically developing children. 73 parents of children with ASD and 63 parents of typically developing children completed a survey. Parents of children with ASD reported significantly more parenting stress symptoms (i.e., negative parental self-views, lower satisfaction with parent-child bond, and experiences of difficult child behaviors), more depression symptoms, and more frequent use of Active Avoidance coping, than parents of typically developing children. Parents of children with ASD did not differ significantly in psychological well-being and coping when compared as according to child's diagnosis. Study results reinforced the importance of addressing well-being and coping needs of parents of children with ASD.

Self-Compassion and Well-Being in Parents of Children with Autism

Parents of children with autism are faced with difficult and unique daily stressors associated with their child’s disorder. The personal characteristics of parents can influence how they approach stressful life events and potentially help them cope with some of the deleterious effects associated with extreme stress. One factor that may be an important coping strategy is self-compassion, which involves being kind to oneself in times of difficulty, recognizing the shared nature of human suffering, and being mindfully aware of negative thoughts and emotions. This study examined the association between self-compassion and well-being in 51 parents of a child with autism using self-report measures. Self-compassion was positively associated with life satisfaction, hope, and goal reengagement and negatively associated with depression and parental stress. Even though child symptom severity is often the strongest predictor of negative adjustment for parents, self-compassion universally predicted parental well-being over and above the effects of child symptom severity. Results suggest that self-compassion may play a significant role in well-being for parents of children with autism. Implications for future research and applications of the construct of self-compassion are discussed.