Linking Parents' Self-Stigma to the Adjustment of Children With Disabilities

摘要

This study examined the assoc ration of parental-stigma with child adjustment, and whether parenting self-efficacy and parenting distress mediated the association. Cross-sectional data were collected from 186 families living with kindergarten children identified to have disabilities in Hong Kong, China (mean age = 61.62 months; 76% of them were boys). Using questionnaires, 173 mothers and 112 fathers reported their own self-stigma, parenting self-efficacy, and parenting distress, as well as their children's prosocial behaviors and externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Multieroup, path analyses revealed a group-invariant model for both mothers and fathers. Controlling for children's gender and age, parents' self-stigma was linked to fewer prosocial behaviors and more externalizing and internalizing behaviors among children. Moreover, such links were partially mediated by parenting self-efficacy, but not parenting distress. Theoretically, the findings highlighted the importance of considering family processes when examining the potential impact of parental self stigma on child adjustment. Practically, the findings pointed to the utility of helping both mothers and fathers to deal with public stigma and increase their parenting self-efficacy-in supporting the development of children with disabilities.