Parenting Stress in Families of Children With ASD and DD: A Multidimensional Perspective

Parenting stress is a multifaceted experience, particularly for parents of children with autism and children with other developmental disabilities (DD). While much research focuses on child-specific factors, broader contextual influences are often underexplored. Guided by Belsky's model of parenting stress and ecological systems theory, this study examines how child, parent, and familial factors contribute to parenting stress. Data from 206 families with children aged 3 to 5 years (95 with autism, 111 with DD) were analyzed. Results indicate that child characteristics, such as symptom severity and adaptive behavior, significantly impact parenting stress. Parent (e.g., education level, marital status) and familial variables (e.g., income, number of siblings) also play key roles. Notably, predictors of stress differ across distinct dimensions, suggesting that distinct mechanisms may underlie general distress, daily hassles, and the perceived impact of the child on the family. These findings emphasize the need for targeted, multidimensional intervention strategies.