Parental attitude, social support and parental stress among parents of children with autism in Selangor, Malaysia

Parental stress has been linked with negative aspects of parental and family functioning in both families of children with and without disabilities. Childrearing adds a number of responsibilities and stressors to most parents. However, parents of children with autism faced a different set of challenges and exhibit a higher level of stress due to the pervasive nature of child problems. The aims of this study were to determine the relationships between parental attitude, social support, and parental stress among parents of children with autism in Selangor and also to determine the predictor of stress among parental attitude and social support. This study was guided by the bioecological theory of human development that highlighted the importance of the proximal process and the person biopsychological characteristics in determining the development outcomes. Eighty parents with autistic children were recruited through cluster sampling. Parents completed a set of questionnaires consist of demographic data sheet, Family Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ), and Autism Parenting Stress Index (APSI). Significant correlation was found between parental attitude and parental stress (r= .76, p < 0.01), and between social support and parental stress (r= -.59, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that social support and positive parental attitude towards parenting a child with autism is the critical factor in reducing parental stress. Meanwhile, results of multiple regression showed parental attitude emerged as a significant predictor of parental stress (β = .622, p < 0.001). However, there was no evidence of the role of demographic variables in the adjustment of parental stress. It is concluded that parents with supportive social networks and positive attitudes are more likely to engage in an active proximal process that will lead to effective coping and stress reduction.

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