| Abstract [eng] |
The number of cases of pervasive developmental disorder (or autism spectrum disorder, ASD) has been rising recently, both worldwide and in Lithuania. Problems with the appropriate expression of emotions and behaviour problems are common in people with ASD and pose challenges for both families and professionals working with these children. However, the child spends most of his/her time at home with family, so it is necessary to look for ways in which parents themselves can contribute to the reduction of challenging behaviour of the child with ASD during interactions with their child. The aim of this research was to expand the knowledge already available on this topic and to explore the relevance of constructs of current interest in the scientific world, such as mindful parenting and self-compassion, to the child's challenging behaviour. The study involved 117 parents of a child with ASD, 107 (91,5%) women and 8 (6,8%) men. Participants’ age ranged from 25 to 63 years (M = 38,42; SD = 5,51). Data were collected about the problem behaviour of 91 (77,8%) boys and 26 (22,2%) girls with ASD. Their age varied between 3 and 19,8 years (M = 7,44; SD = 3,46). The Behavior Problems Inventory for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities - Short Form was used to assess problem behaviour. Parents’ difficulties in emotion regulation, their perceived self-compassion and the application of mindful parenting principles were also assessed. Path analysis revealed that parental emotion regulation difficulties directly predict the problem behaviour of a child with ASD, whereas mindful parenting and self-compassion contribute indirectly through parental emotion regulation difficulties. |
