Parenting stress experienced by parents of autistic children is well-documented. Recent evidence suggests that self-compassion may be a protective factor against parenting stress. However, it's not clear how self-compassion contributes to better parenting outcomes. This study examined the associations among self-compassion, mental health…

Little is known about the parenting experiences of autistic mothers, yet there is reason to believe that autistic mothers of non-autistic daughters have a unique set of experiences, especially during their daughters' adolescence. Seven autistic mothers of adolescent (n = 5) and adult (n = 2) non-autistic daughters were interviewed about their…

There is limited literature on the association between parenting practices, parenting stress and externalising behaviours in autistic children. We investigated whether parenting practices mediate the association between parenting stress and externalising behaviours. Parents of school-aged autistic children (n = 138) completed an online survey on…

This study addresses the underrepresentation of fathers in autism research, particularly those with adult-aged autistic offspring. The authors explored the lifelong experiences and interpretations of fathers raising their autistic sons. Ten Hungarian fathers participated in a one-time semi-structured interview. Interpretative phenomenological…

Most research on the mental health of fathers with children on the autism spectrum has been cross-sectional. Little is currently known about the trajectories of fathers' mental health across their parenting journey. Using longitudinal latent class analysis, this study aimed to: (1) report on the estimates of fathers' psychological distress across…

Although the evidence of parent training programmes for families of autistic children has continued to grow, little is known about the experiences and perceptions of key stakeholders, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This qualitative study was part of a larger real-world evaluation of a short-term intensive parent training programme…

Caregivers are increasingly recognised as significant in providing naturalistic interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder in high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries including Sri Lanka. It is imperative to assess the impact of programmes targeting desired parenting skills within cultural boundaries. A preliminary…

Parental reflective functioning is defined as holding in mind one's child's thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and intentions and reflecting on how these mental states may be affecting the child's behavior. Although parental reflective functioning is often treated as a stable feature of the parent, there is growing appreciation that it may be shaped by…

EarlyBird and EarlyBird Plus are parent education and training programmes designed by the UK National Autistic Society in 1997 and 2003, having been delivered to more than 27,000 families in 14 countries. These group-based programmes aim to (1) support parents immediately after diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, (2) empower parents,…

Navigating childbirth and the postnatal period may pose additional challenges for autistic people, who can face communication and sensory barriers to accessing healthcare. However, research exploring autistic experiences of parenthood is scarce. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 autistic and 25 non-autistic women 2-3 months after…

The World Health Organization's Caregiver Skills Training programme for children with developmental disorders or delays teaches caregivers strategies to help them support their child's development. Ethiopia has a severe lack of services for children with developmental disorders or delays. This study explored the perspectives of Ethiopian…

There is growing interest in the development of behavioral parent interventions targeting emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorders. Such interventions have potential to improve a number of child and parental well-being outcomes beyond disruptive child behavior. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses…

Despite the clear need for post-diagnostic parent/carer education and training in autism spectrum disorder, the evidence base is small, particularly in low-resource settings. Furthermore, few studies have examined the feasibility of intervention implementation. Here, we performed a comparative feasibility study of two Parent Education and Training…

The recent increase of diagnosed cases of autism spectrum disorders has led to a considerable rise in the demands for autism-related services and interventions. Parents express the need to access relevant information about their child's difference, and parent support interventions appear to respond effectively to this demand, as they are…

To promote knowledge and acceptance of autism, Sesame Workshop created an online initiative: "See Amazing in All Children." This nationwide evaluation of "See Amazing" assessed whether it increased knowledge and acceptance, promoted community inclusion, reduced parenting strain, and enhanced parenting competence. Survey…