Predictors of posttraumatic growth in 475 Chinese parents of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the predictive effects of children's symptom severity, rumination, parental self-efficacy, and social support on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in parents of autistic children.

Design and methods: Parents (n = 475) completed the demographic questionnaire, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Autism Behavior Checklist, Event Related Rumination Inventory, Parenting Sense of Competence, and Social Support Rating Scale in a cross-sectional survey conducted in a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, China, between September 2019 and January 2021. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0.

Results: The PTG score was positively associated with rumination (r = 0.325, P < 0.05), parental self-efficacy (r = 0.219, P < 0.05), and social support (r = 0.374, P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that household income (β = 0.095, P < 0.05), intrusive rumination (β = -0.100, P < 0.05), deliberate rumination (β = 0.391, P < 0.001), subjective support (β = 0.239, P < 0.001), and children's daily living skills deficiencies as perceived by parents (β = 0.107, P < 0.05) significantly predicted PTG, accounting for 33.3% of the variance [F(P) = 13.444, P < 0.001].

Conclusions: Psychosocial factors (rumination and subjective support) are essential to facilitate PTG in parents whose children are newly diagnosed with autism.

Practice and implications: With the consideration of different sociodemographic features, clinicians and researchers are encouraged to explore cognitive-based psychosocial interventions targeting parents' psychological growth and parenting training programs targeting autistic children's self-care ability.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Posttraumatic growth; Rumination; Social support.