Adaptation of Parents Raising a Child with ASD: The Role of Positive Perceptions, Coping, Self-efficacy, and Social Support.

Because the data were collected at one time point, the study cannot show that the parent factors caused better adaptation or that behaviour problems caused stress. The sample was mainly Irish mothers, with only 20 fathers, so results may not represent fathers or more diverse families. The convenience sample may have overrepresented motivated parents, and 96 partially completed surveys were excluded, which could affect generalisability. All information came from parent self-report, including child diagnosis and behaviour, so shared source and recall may inflate associations. The behaviour measure was low and skewed, and may not have captured broader behaviour problems, especially in higher-functioning children. The study did not confirm diagnoses professionally or examine other life stressors that may pile up and affect adaptation. Positive perceptions unexpectedly contributed negatively to psychological wellbeing in one model, so that specific finding needs caution.

Do not conclude that improving parents' confidence, support, coping, or positive perceptions will reduce stress or protect against child behaviour problems. The study measured associations at one time, and none of these factors appeared to weaken the link between child behaviour problems and parent adaptation.