| The extensive demands placed on the parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the behavioral, social and cognitive problems associated with ASD diagnoses have been directly linked to higher levels of reported parent stress (Hastings & Johnson, 2001; Lessenberry & Rehfeldt, 2004). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the potential mediating effects of parental attitudes, such as parent attribution and self-efficacy, on parent stress levels among the parents of children with ASD. In addition, the mediating effects of parent attribution and self-efficacy in regards to reported behavior difficulty were also addressed. Further analyses were conducted to determine differences in parent stress, attribution and self-efficacy for the parents of children with ASD and parents of typically developing children.; A web-based survey was used in collecting data from 259 parents, consisting of 225 parents of children with ASD and 34 parents of typically developing children. The survey included a demographic information sheet, including parent and child characteristics, and assessment instruments specific to parent stress, parent attribution and parent self-efficacy.; Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the mediating effect of parent attribution and self-efficacy on parent stress in the presence of either ASD diagnoses or difficult behavior. No significant mediation was found for parent attribution; whereas, parent self-efficacy was found to be a partial mediator of parent stress in the presence of both ASD diagnoses (p < .001) and behavior difficulty (p < .05). Additionally, significant differences in parent stress, t (257) = 5.83, p < .001, and parent self-efficacy, t (256) = -7.11, p < .001, were found between the parents of children with ASD and the parents of typically developing children. Gender difference in parent stress was not supported in the current study; however, disproportionate numbers of mothers and fathers responding to the online study may have impacted results. Finally, behavior difficulty was found to be highly correlated with parent stress levels, while no other parent or child characteristics were related to parent stress. Suggestions for future research are provided, as well as a discussion of the limitations and clinical implications of the present study.; Keywords: Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Parent Stress, Self-efficacy, Parent Attribution. |
