Parenting Stress and Parenting Efficacy of Parents Having Children With Disabilities in China: The Role of Social Support

• In Event: Centering Families in Special and Inclusive Education

Abstract

Raising children with disabilities is challenging for parents, who experience high parenting stress. The study aimed to understand the status quo of parenting efficacy of parents having children with disabilities and to analyze the association between parent efficacy, parenting stress, and social support in China. We surveyed 373 parents having children with disabilities from 14 provinces in China. The results suggested that parenting efficacy of parents having children with disabilities in China was at the medium level. Parenting stress, social support, and parenting efficacy were significantly related with each other, and social support played a mediating role between parenting stress and parenting efficacy. The findings indicated that reducing parenting stress and improving social support might improve parenting efficacy.

Author

• Wangqian Fu, Beijing Normal University