Parenting stress and coping across five countries

Purpose The current report aims to provide indicators of parenting stress and coping behaviours across five diverse countries (Bangladesh, Greece, Kenya, UK, Zambia). It was hoped that the use of a single procedure would provide needed data from low-to-middle-income countries, in comparison to the better-studied higher-income countries. Design/methodology/approach In total, 200 parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); 40 in each country) completed a series of scales about their parenting stress and coping styles. Findings The results suggested more similarities than differences. Parenting stress was high in all countries, and the highest was in the UK. Pessimism was also high in low-to-medium-income countries, and lower in Greece and the UK. Passive appraisal was used most often as a coping style, with mobilising the family being used more than social support. Cross-country, the only difference was that the UK parents used seeking spiritual support less than parents from other countries. Coping styles did not mediate the relationship between either ASD severity or behavioural problems and parenting stress. Originality/value These data suggest a degree of similarity across most aspects of parenting across diverse countries, although some atypical results from the UK may mean caution is needed in drawing generalised conclusions from such higher-income countries.