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Updated: Sep 21, 2026

Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Behavior problems of children with autism, parental self-efficacy, and mental health
Richard P Hastings1, Tony Brown
1Centre for Behavioural Research Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, United Kingdom. rph@soton.ac.uk
Abstract:
Self-efficacy has been identified in the general parenting literature as an important variable affecting parent outcomes. In the present study, 26 mothers and 20 fathers of children with autism reported on their self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression. Teachers rated the behavior problems of the children. Regression analyses showed that self-efficacy mediated the effect of child behavior problems on mothers' anxiety and depression, but there was no evidence that it functioned as a mediator for fathers. However, there was evidence that self-efficacy moderated the effect of child behavior problems on fathers' anxiety. No evidence for the moderating effect of self-efficacy was apparent for mothers. Methodological issues and the theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
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