Maladaptive behaviors in children with autism and parental hopelessness: The moderating role of parental reflective functioning

Hopelessness in parents has implications for parents' own well‐being as well as their ability to meet the needs of their children. In the present study, we examined the effect of maladaptive behaviors in children with autism on parental hopelessness, with particular attention to whether parental reflective functioning would moderate the effect of maladaptive behaviors on parental hopelessness. Our sample included 68 parents of children with autism between the ages of 3 and 18. Findings revealed a significant positive relationship between maladaptive behaviors in the children and hopelessness in the parents. Moreover, parental reflective functioning moderated the effect of child maladaptive behaviors on parental hopelessness, such that children's maladaptive behaviors were positively associated with parental hopelessness in parents with low (but not high) reflective functioning. Findings suggest parental reflective functioning may be a protective factor against parental hopelessness, and thus a possible target for interventions for hopelessness in parents whose children with autism exhibit greater maladaptive behaviors. Lay Summary Parental hopelessness is important for parents and children well‐being. In the present study, we examined the effect of maladaptive behaviors in children with autism on parental hopelessness, with paying attention to parental reflectivity and its moderating role. Our sample included 68 parents of children with autism between the ages of 3 and 18. Findings showed that greater maladaptive behaviors in the children are related to greater hopelessness in the parents but this relationship was only for parents with low reflective capabilities and not for parents with high reflective capabilities. Our findings propose that parental reflective capabilities may protect parents from hopelessness.