Parenting Resilience Predicts Psychological Distress and Social Isolation Among Mothers of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Japan

Mothers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at elevated risk of psychological distress and social isolation. Although parenting resilience has been identified as a potential protective factor, the extent to which its specific components predict clinically significant levels of these outcomes remains unclear. This study examined 352 Japanese mothers of individuals with ASD. Parenting resilience was assessed using the Parenting Resilience Elements Questionnaire (PREQ). Psychological distress and social isolation were measured using the K6 (cutoff ≥ 13) and the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6; cutoff ≤ 11), respectively. One-way ANCOVAs and binomial logistic regression analyses were conducted. ANCOVAs revealed significant group differences in social support and positive perception across psychological distress groups (defined by K6 cut-off score ≥ 13), and in all three subscales across social isolation groups (defined by LSNS-6 cut-off score ≤ 11). However, the logistic regression analyses indicated that perceived social support was the only resilience factor that independently predicted both clinically significant psychological distress and social isolation, after controlling for demographic covariates. Perceived social support represents a central protective factor against clinically significant psychological distress and social isolation in mothers of individuals with ASD. Interventions designed to strengthen interpersonal resources may be particularly effective in this population.