The mediating effects of parental self-efficacy and hope for parents of ASD children in Hong Kong

Abstract

The objective: The study aims to examine the contribution of child’s factor (i.e., child’s behavioural problems) and parent’s factors (i.e., parental self-efficacy and hope) to the parental distress among parents with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Hong Kong. Method –Data on measures of child’s factors and parent’s factors (including child’s behaviour problems, general parental self-efficacy, parental self-efficacy specific for caring children with ASD, will of hope and way of hope), and parental distress were collected from 173 parents of children with ASD in Hong Kong. Results: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis results showed that only parental self-efficacy specific for caring children (APSE) with ASD and will of hope, but not general parental self-efficacy, were significant predictors of parental distress. The effect of child’s behavioural problems on parent distress was mediated by APSE and the will of hope. Conclusion: These findings underscore the uniqueness of the parenting experience in caring of children with ASD. The results suggested that enhancing parent’s task-level self-efficacy and hope may help alleviate the negative impact of dealing with the behavioural issues of children with ASD among parents of children with ASD.