The Impact of Parenting Behaviors on Child Outcomes in Families with Adolescents with ASD

• In Event: Predictors of Parenting Processes and Parent-Child Relationship Quality across Four Developmental Periods

Abstract

Introduction: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are faced with a number of parenting challenges including increased parenting stress (e.g. Morgan, Robinson, & Aldridge, 2002; Hayes & Watson, 2013), which is a significant predictor of child problem behaviors (Bauminger, Solomon, & Rogers, 2010). While several studies have examined the direct effects parent-, child-, and family-level factors on child problem behaviors, few studies have examined the mediating role of parenting behavior. Belsky’s (1984) determinants of parenting theorizes that parent-, child-, and family-level factors impact quality of parenting which may, in turn, affect child problem behaviors. Moreover, some parental characteristics may act as a protective factor that lead to better parenting behaviors (Halstead, Ekas, Hastings, & Griffith, 2018). This study aims to examine Belsky’s determinants of parenting in families with children with ASD to determine their effects on parenting quality and how that might be associated with child problem behaviors.

Method: Seventy-one families with children with ASD between the ages of 10 to 17 years participated. The majority of the children were male (n = 62). All of children had a community diagnosis that was confirmed using the ADOS and ADI. Mothers and fathers completed a series of questions at a follow-up laboratory visit about their mental health, mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and relationship satisfaction. The ADOS was used as a measure of child symptom severity. The Parental Bonding Instrument assessed the warmth and acceptance of mothers’ and fathers’ parenting behaviors. The Child Behavior Checklist was used to assess child behavioral problems.

Results: Two separate mediation models were conducted using the MEDIATE macro in SPSS to examine the effects of parent mindfulness or psychological flexibility, child symptom severity, and marital satisfaction on child externalizing behavior as mediated by parenting quality. Higher levels of maternal psychological flexibility were associated with greater parenting warmth and acceptance, b = .105, SE = .04, p = .004. Increased parenting quality was associated with fewer child externalizing behaviors, b = -1.03, SE = .44, p = .022. In the parent mindfulness model, higher levels of maternal mindfulness predicted greater parental warmth, b = .08 (SE = .04), p = .054, which in turn predicted less child externalizing behaviors, b = -.95 (SE = .43), t = 2.22, p = .030. For both models, child symptom severity and maternal marital satisfaction were not significant predictors of parenting quality, ps ≥ .594, or child externalizing behaviors, ps ≥ .06. For fathers, these models were non-significant.

Discussion: The current study used Belsky’s (1984) determinants of parenting model to examine parent-, child-, and family-level predictors of parenting quality and determine effects on child externalizing behaviors. Maternal psychological flexibility and mindfulness were significant predictors of higher parental warmth, which were each associated with a decrease in child externalizing behaviors. Researchers should explore interventions that may provide support for parents to increase these characteristics, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. As the results of this study were non-significant for fathers, future research should explore additional factors that may influence their parenting quality.

Authors

• Deborah Rafferty, Texas Christian University
  Presenting Author

• Naomi Ekas, Texas Christian University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Chrystyna D Kouros, Southern Methodist University
  Non-Presenting Author