Parenting sense of competence in mothers of children with autism: Associations with parental expectations and levels of family support needs

Background: Research suggests that parents who perceive themselves as more effective and satisfied report less stress when raising a child with autism. We examined associations between parenting sense of competence, reported family support needs, and parental future expectations, with a sample of mothers of children with autism. Method: Mothers completed a cross-sectional online survey, which included a measure of expectations: Hopes for the Future, the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale and the Family Needs Survey. Results: Analysis revealed that mothers with lower support needs had greater parenting satisfaction; and mothers with more positive expectations perceived themselves to be more effective. Ethnicity, expectations, and lower levels of perceived family support needs, were predictors of greater satisfaction. Higher positive expectations predicted a greater sense of efficacy. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for further research into the factors that underlie parental efficacy and expectations when parenting a child with autism.