Parental stress, involvement, and family quality of life in mothers and fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder in mainland China: A dyadic analysis

Research shows that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are burdened with childcare responsibilities and at increased risk for elevated stress and poor family quality of life (FQOL). Little is known, however, about the dynamic interactions between mothers' and fathers' perceived parenting stress in relating to parental involvement and FQOL, especially in the Chinese cultural context. This study examined the intrapersonal and interpersonal effects of parenting stress on parental involvement and FQOL for families of children with ASD in mainland China. A total of 210 Chinese couples (total N = 420) completed measures of caregiving involvement, perceived parenting stress, and FQOL. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM) was employed to examine the dyadic relationships among the variables. Both parents’ parenting stress was negatively associated with their own involvement and FQOL. Moreover, fathers’ parenting stress was indirectly related to mothers’ perceptions of FQOL through their involvement in the care of their child with ASD. The findings highlight the important roles of fathers’ parenting stress and involvement in affecting their own and their partners’ satisfaction with FQOL within Chinese families raising a child with ASD.