The Role of Parental Emotion Regulation on Child Behaviors in Autistic and Other Developmentally-Disabled Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediation by Dysfunctional Parent-Child Interactions

The ability of parents to manage emotions and cope with stress is a key factor in shaping child psychological outcomes (Zimmer-Gembeck et al., 2021). However, limited research has investigated these relationships in families with developmentally and intellectually-disabled children (DD/ID) children, who may be especially vulnerable to the effects of parental stress, particularly stress related to the quality of parent-child relationships (Abbeduto et al., 2004). This study explored the impact of parental emotion regulation (ER) on child behaviors and the mediating effects of parent-child dysfunctional interactions (PCDI) in families with DD/ID children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents of 40 of DD/ID children completed measures of parental ER (Gratz & Roemer, 2004), child behavior (Sparrow et al., 2016), and parenting stress (Abidin, 1995). Overall parenting stress and stress related to PCDI were positively correlated with difficulties in parental ER and child behaviors (rs =.431-.749, p<.05). Parental ER significantly predicted child behaviors (Btotal=.217, p<.01). Mediation analysis indicated a significant indirect effect of parenting stress between parent ER and child behaviors (Bindirect=.189, 95% CI [.07,.38]). Specifically, a significant indirect effect of PCDI fully mediated the relationship between difficulties in parental ER and child behaviors (Bindirect=.125, 95% CI [.03,.28]; Figure 1). These findings contextualize the relationship between parent ER and child behaviors by underscoring the mediating role of parenting stress, including stress concerning parent-child interactions. This suggests teaching parents effective strategies for managing emotions and stress reduction may be an important avenue for improving parent-child relationships and thus minimizing children’s risk for challenging behaviors.