Poster #41 - Attachment, Stress, and Self-Efficacy While Parenting Children on the Autism Spectrum

• In Event: 3-206 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Section - Developmental Disabilities

Integrative Statement

Most research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focuses on child improvement and neglects examining the parents perception. However, parental stress is higher among parents with children diagnosed with ASD compared to any other group of parents assessed. Furthermore, research supports that when parent stress is high, early intervention programs treating children affected by ASD are less effective. For this study, 25 % of parents reported extremely high to clinically significant stress levels as indexed by the Parent Stress Inventory/Short Form (PSI-SF). This study explored the relationship between parental perceptions of stress, self-efficacy, attachment quality, and child functioning level in parents of children with ASD. Parents had children who were enrolled in The Special Beginnings Program (SBP, N = 44) or receiving treatment as usual (TAU, N = 39). We predicted that parental perceptions of child functioning level would be negatively related to parenting stress and positively correlated with self-efficacy and attachment. In addition, we expected that parental perceptions of stress would decrease and attachment and self-efficacy would increase more for the SBP group than the TAU group. Results revealed child functioning level, attachment quality, and parental self-efficacy were positively correlated and that child functioning and parenting stress were negatively related. There were no group differences for measures over time and all parents reported decreased stress after treatment regardless of group. This is evidence that early intervention programs can be successful in addressing parents’ stress levels and suggests that the SBP may not be unique in impacting such important parenting variables. Future research should examine whether attachment quality and self-efficacy mediate the relationship between intervention variables and parenting stress. This would provide valuable information to early intervention programs regarding which intervention services are most needed to improve parental socioemotional health and thereby further enhance child functioning.

Authors

• Angela m Galioto, HSU
  Presenting Author

• Tasha R. Howe, Humboldt State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Genevive Macias, HCOE
  Non-Presenting Author

• Joseph Camarena, HSU
  Non-Presenting Author