Parental self-efficacy to reduce internalising problems in autistic children: Scale development and validation

Background Autistic children commonly experience internalising disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders, that significantly impact child and parent quality of life. Parents play an important role in supporting their child’s mental health and reducing their risk of internalising disorders. Parental self-efficacy (PSE), that is parent’s confidence to engage in preventive parenting practices, is a key factor in this role. To measure domain-specific PSE to reduce internalising problems in autistic children, we developed and initially assessed the psychometric properties of the 14-item Parental Self-Efficacy Scale - Autism version (PSES-Autism) and identified parent-reported contributing factors to PSE. Methods A sample of 123 parents of autistic children aged 5–12 completed the PSES-Autism, as well as measures of parenting practices, parent mental health, child psychosocial functioning, and general PSE. Results The PSES-Autism demonstrated good internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and test-retest reliability. Higher PSES-Autism total scores were associated with increased preventive parenting practices and better parent mental health and general PSE in parents of autistic children, but were not associated with child psychosocial functioning. Contributors to PSE, as reported by parents, included support from family and friends, parental mental health, and the child’s care team. Conclusions The PSES-Autism has clinical and research utility as a measure of PSE to reduce internalising problems in autistic children. The present study provides insight into the factors related to PSE in parents of autistic children, highlighting potential targets for interventions to better support parents.