Understanding parenting stress in autism spectrum disorder: a cross-sectional study exploring differences between mothers and fathers

Abstract

Parents of autistic children may experience high levels of stress. Prior research implicates child cognitive impairment, emotional and behavioral problems, sociodemographic factors, and autism symptoms as contributors; however, gender differences in parenting stress remain underexplored. This study compared parenting stress between mothers and fathers of autistic children and examined key predictors across stress domains. We retrospectively analyzed a database including data from 160 mother–father pairs of children aged 3–15 years who had received an ASD diagnosis. Parents completed the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and measures of children's emotional/behavioral characteristics: We analyzed PSI domains: Parenting Distress (PD), Difficult Child (DC), and Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction (P-CDI). Analysis of covariance compared mothers and fathers. Multiple linear regressions identified predictors of each stress domain. Mothers reported significantly higher scores than fathers only on PD. In mothers, child externalizing problems were the primary predictors of parenting stress, showing significant associations with PD, DC, and P-CDI. Restricted/repetitive behaviors were additionally associated with PD, and maternal education was associated with P-CDI. In fathers, no significant predictors emerged for PD. For other domains, child cognitive functioning, externalizing problems, and paternal education were associated with P-CDI, whereas externalizing problems were the sole significant predictor of DC. These results suggests the relevance of considering mothers and fathers as separate yet complementary contributors within the family system, including when identifying determinants of parenting stress. Child externalizing problems are the principal vulnerability factor for both parents, underscoring the need for tailored support interventions for mothers and fathers.