Relationship between parental self-efficacy and parent–child relationships: Moderating roles of problem behaviors and autism stigma

Objective: To investigate the relationship between parental self-efficacy and parent–child relationships in families including children with autism and to identify the potential family-based moderators.

Background: More families in China are being affected by autism. Parents often have difficulties establishing positive relationships with their children with autism. Parental self-efficacy positively influences the relationship with typically developing children. However, this association and its potential moderators are understudied in families that include children with autism.

Method: Chinese caregivers of children with autism completed standardized instruments on parental self-efficacy, parent–child relationships, children's behavioral problems, parents' endorsement of autism stigma, and spouse support. Moderation analyses were conducted.

Results: Parental self-efficacy was positively associated with parent–child relationships. Children's psychosomatic problems and parents' endorsement of autism stigma were the only significant moderators. More psychosomatic problems dampened the positive relationship between parental self-efficacy and parent–child relationships, and less endorsement on autism stigma strengthened such relationship.

Conclusion: Caregivers with a greater sense of parental self-efficacy will have better parent–child relationships. Such relationships were stronger when caregivers tended not to endorse autism stigma and weakened when children with autism exhibited more psychosomatic symptoms.

Implications: Chinese parents' lack of endorsement of autism stigma may offer a protective role for parent–child relationships, while psychosomatic problems of children with autism may serve as a risk factor. Our findings shed light on the direction of interventions for families including children with autism. In particular, it is necessary to identify those families whose parents endorse autism stigma and their children with autism who have psychosomatic problems. An intervention to help these families understand autism and accept their children is crucial for improving the parent–child relationship.