Parenting a Child with Autism: Contextual Factors Associated with Enhanced Daily Parental Mood

Abstract

Objective To examine the extent to which social support, unsupportive interactions, support services, and disruptive child behaviors predict daily positive and negative mood in parents of children with autism. Methods Ninety-three parents of children with autism completed initial measures of disruptive child behaviors, and support services, then biweekly measures of daily stress, received emotional and instrumental social support, unsupportive social interactions, and mood over 3 months. Results Greater levels of daily positive mood were associated with more emotional and instrumental support, and less parenting stress and unsupportive interactions. Greater daily negative mood was associated with less emotional support and more parenting stress, unsupportive interactions, and disruptive child behaviors. Emotional support, unsupportive interactions, and disruptive child behaviors moderated the stress–mood relationship. Conclusions Daily received social support and unsupportive interactions, and disruptive child behaviors are important predictors of daily mood. Identifying interpersonal processes that enhance psychological well-being may inform future parenting interventions.