Author(s)

Yixuan Liu ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China

Corresponding Author

Yixuan Liu

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to examine the associations between parental stress and social skills in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to investigate the potential moderating role of parental self-efficacy. A total of 324 ASD children's parents completed the Parenting Stress Index/Short Form, Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, and Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales. Correlational analyses showed that parental stress was negatively correlated with children's social skills, whereas parental self-efficacy was positively correlated. Moderation analyses revealed that parental self-efficacy significantly moderated the relationship between parental stress and children's social skills. These results emphasize how crucial it is to boost parental self-efficacy in programs meant to encourage social development in children with ASD. 

KEYWORDS

Parental Stress; Social Skills; Parental Self-efficacy; ASD Children

CITE THIS PAPER

Yixuan Liu. The Moderation Effect of Parental Self-efficacy on the Associations between Parental Stress and Social Skills among Chinese ASD Children. Applied & Educational Psychology (2026). Vol. 7, No.1, 1-7. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/appep.2026.070101.

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