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How are parental mental health and parenting practices associated with externalizing behaviors among young children with autism in China? A cross-sectional study and indirect effect analysis

Abstract:
Children with autism are more likely to exhibit externalizing behaviors than children without autism. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to investigate how parental mental health status and parenting practices contributed to the variance in externalizing behaviors among families of young children with autism in Chinese mainland, and whether parenting behaviors had any indirect effects on the relationship between parental mental health symptoms and externalizing behaviors. Data were drawn from the baseline assessment of a quasi-experimental study of a parent training program delivered to Chinese caregivers of children with autism aged 3 to 6 from diverse backgrounds (N = 111). Results showed that parental mental health symptoms and parenting behaviors explained the variance in child externalizing behaviors. Parental mental health problems and parental over-reactivity were linked to higher levels of child externalizing behaviors, whereas positive parenting was associated with less frequent externalizing behaviors. Positive parenting partially explained the relationship between parental mental health symptoms and externalizing behaviors. The findings of this study highlight the importance of actively attending to the psychological and parenting needs of caregivers in autism treatment programs. It points to the need for the development of culturally sensitive strategies to promote parental mental health and increase the use of positive parenting skills among parents of children with autism.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Files:
Publisher copy:
10.1111/famp.12940

Authors


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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Department:
Social Policy & Intervention
Oxford college:
St Antony's College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-8619-0137
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Sub department:
CV SOCIAL POLICY & INTERVENTION; CV SOCIAL POLICY AND INTERVENTION
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-9475-9218
More by this author
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0003-1106-2218
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Sub department:
CV SOCIAL POLICY & INTERVENTION; CV SOCIAL POLICY AND INTERVENTION
Oxford college:
St Hilda's College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-8418-4270


More from this funder
Funder identifier:
https://ror.org/01613vh25
Grant:
CSO SPHSU16


Publisher:
Wiley
Journal:
Family Process More from this journal
Volume:
63
Issue:
2
Pages:
932-946
Place of publication:
United States
Publication date:
2023-09-25
Acceptance date:
2023-08-24
DOI:
EISSN:
1545-5300
ISSN:
0014-7370
Pmid:
37743778


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1536851
Local pid:
pubs:1536851
Deposit date:
2023-10-19

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