Introduction
Parental competence is an important concept in increasing the quality of care provided to individuals with special needs and the quality of life of parents. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Parental Competence Scale, adapted for use with parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
Background
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that characterized with deficits in social interaction and communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors and interest. ASD, the prevalence rates of which have increased in recent years, has become an important public health problem. ASD affects not only the individuals with the disorder, but also their families, especially their parents. Parents of children with ASD face many challenges and difficulties in coping with their children’s symptoms, behaviors, and needs. They also experience high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and lower levels of well-being and life satisfaction. Therefore, it is essential to support the parents of children with ASD and enhance their parental competence.
Parental competence refers to the parents’ perception of their ability to perform their parental roles and tasks effectively and satisfactorily. Parental competence is influenced by various factors, such as the child’s characteristics, the parent’s personality, the family environment, and the social support. Parental competence is associated with positive outcomes for both the parents and the children, such as lower levels of parental stress, higher levels of parental self-efficacy, better parent-child relationship, and improved child development and behavior. Therefore, measuring and improving parental competence is an important goal for the interventions and services for the families of children with ASD.
Method
This methodological research was conducted with 433 parents of children with autism between November 2021 and February 2023. Information Form, the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism, and the Parental Self-Efficacy Scale were used to gather the data. The data were evaluated using content and construct validity, item analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and internal consistency.
The Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism was developed by Kirkpatrick et al. (2019) based on the Parental Competence Scale by Johnston and Mash (1989). The scale consists of 19 items and two sub-dimensions: Parental Competence in Managing the Child’s Behavior (PCMCB) and Parental Competence in Meeting the Child’s Needs (PCMCN). The items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The total score ranges from 19 to 95, with higher scores indicating higher levels of parental competence.
The Parental Self-Efficacy Scale was developed by Coleman and Karraker (1998) to measure the parents’ confidence in their ability to perform various parenting tasks. The scale consists of 11 items and one dimension. The items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (not at all confident) to 5 (very confident). The total score ranges from 11 to 55, with higher scores indicating higher levels of parental self-efficacy.
Findings
The content validity index of the scale was 0.93. Item-total score correlation values ranged from 0.338 to 0.846. As a effect of confirmatory factor analysis, the two-factor structure of the scale consisting of 19 items was confirmed. Factor loads were >0.30 and t indices were >0.80. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the Turkish version of the scale was 0.85, and the Cronbach’s alpha values of its sub-dimensions were 0.71 and 0.79. The correlation coefficient between the Turkish version of the scale and the Parental Self-Efficacy Scale was 0.64, indicating a moderate and positive relationship.
Conclusion
The parental competence scale for parents of children with autism is a valid and reliable measurement tool for Turkey. The scale can be used to assess the parental competence of the parents of children with ASD and to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions and services aimed to improve their parental competence.
Practice implications
In future interventional studies, the scale can be implemented by diverse professionals like pediatric nurses, general healthcare providers, special education specialists, and teachers. This will enable them to evaluate and potentially enhance the specific skills and knowledge of parents with autistic children.
Faq
What is the difference between parental competence and parental self-efficacy?
Parental competence and parental self-efficacy are related but distinct concepts. Parental competence refers to the parents’ perception of their ability to perform their parental roles and tasks effectively and satisfactorily, while parental self-efficacy refers to the parents’ confidence in their ability to perform specific parenting tasks. Parental competence is a broader and more stable construct than parental self-efficacy, which is more task-specific and situation-dependent.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism?
The advantages of using the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism are:
- It is a brief and easy-to-use measurement tool that can be completed by the parents in about 10 minutes.
- It is a valid and reliable measurement tool that has good content and construct validity, internal consistency, and convergent validity.
- It is a specific and sensitive measurement tool that captures the parental competence of the parents of children with ASD, which may differ from the parental competence of the parents of children with other developmental disorders or typically developing children.
- It is a comprehensive and multidimensional measurement tool that covers two aspects of parental competence: Parental Competence in Managing the Child’s Behavior and Parental Competence in Meeting the Child’s Needs.
The disadvantages of using the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism are:
- It is a self-report measurement tool that may be subject to social desirability and recall bias, and may not reflect the actual behavior and performance of the parents.
- It is a subjective measurement tool that may be influenced by the parents’ mood, expectations, and satisfaction, and may not reflect the objective outcomes and indicators of the child’s development and behavior.
- It is a unidirectional measurement tool that only measures the parental competence from the parents’ perspective, and does not take into account the child’s perspective, the family context, or the social support.
What are the challenges and limitations of using the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism in research and practice?
The challenges and limitations of using the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism in research and practice are:
- The scale is a relatively new and novel measurement tool, which has been developed and validated only in a few countries and languages, and may not be applicable or generalizable to other populations and settings.
- The scale is a self-report measurement tool, which may not capture the actual behavior and performance of the parents, and may be influenced by the parents’ mood, expectations, and satisfaction, and by the social desirability and recall bias.
- The scale is a subjective measurement tool, which may not reflect the objective outcomes and indicators of the child’s development and behavior, and may not take into account the child’s perspective, the family context, or the social support.
- The scale is a unidirectional measurement tool, which only measures the parental competence from the parents’ perspective, and does not measure the reciprocal and interactive effects of the parent-child relationship and the child’s competence.
- The scale is a static and cross-sectional measurement tool, which may not capture the dynamic and longitudinal changes and improvements in the parental competence over time and across different situations.
What are the challenges and barriers that the parents of children with ASD face in developing and maintaining their parental competence?
The challenges and barriers that the parents of children with ASD face in developing and maintaining their parental competence are:
- The uncertainty and complexity of the diagnosis and prognosis of ASD, and the lack of clear and consistent information and guidance about ASD.
- The severity and diversity of the symptoms and behaviors of ASD, and the difficulty and unpredictability of managing and coping with them.
- The high and varied needs of the child with ASD, and the difficulty and inadequacy of meeting and fulfilling them.
- The limited and inaccessible education and intervention services for the child with ASD, and the difficulty and frustration of finding and accessing the best and most suitable programs and resources for the child.
- The low and insufficient professional and peer support for the parents, and the difficulty and isolation of finding and receiving the appropriate and adequate support and help.
- The stigma and discrimination faced by the parents and the child, and the difficulty and exclusion of integrating and participating in the society and community.
- The imbalance and conflict between the child’s needs and the needs of other family members, and the difficulty and disharmony of maintaining a healthy and harmonious family relationship and functioning.
- The neglect and deterioration of their own physical and mental health, and the difficulty and guilt of finding time and space for their own self-care and leisure activities.
How can the parental competence of the parents of children with ASD be improved?
The parental competence of the parents of children with ASD can be improved by various strategies, such as:
- Providing the parents with accurate and comprehensive information and education about ASD, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options, and helping them understand and accept their child’s condition and needs.
- Teaching the parents the effective and appropriate skills and techniques to manage their child’s behavior, communication, and socialization, and to meet their child’s developmental, educational, and emotional needs.
- Empowering the parents to advocate for their child’s rights and interests, and to access and utilize the best and most suitable programs and resources for their child.
- Encouraging the parents to seek and receive professional and peer support, such as counseling, therapy, coaching, mentoring, and group interventions, and to share their experiences, feelings, and concerns with others who can empathize and relate.
- Motivating the parents to take care of their own physical and mental health, such as by engaging in regular exercise, healthy diet, adequate sleep, relaxation, and meditation, and by pursuing their own hobbies, interests, and goals.
- Involving the parents in the decision-making and planning processes regarding their child’s education and intervention, and collaborating with them as partners and co-learners.
- Acknowledging and appreciating the parents’ efforts and achievements, and providing them with positive and constructive feedback and guidance.
What is the theoretical framework of the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism?
The Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism is based on the theoretical framework of the social cognitive theory, which posits that human behavior is influenced by the interaction of personal, behavioral, and environmental factors. According to this theory, parental competence is a personal factor that affects the parents’ behavior and outcomes, as well as the child’s behavior and outcomes. Parental competence is also influenced by the behavioral and environmental factors, such as the child’s characteristics, the parent’s parenting style and skills, the family environment and functioning, and the social support and resources.
How does the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism compare with other similar scales?
The Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism is similar to other scales that measure the parental competence or self-efficacy of the parents of children with special needs, such as the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, the Parenting Self-Agency Measure, the Parenting Stress Index, and the Parenting Scale. However, the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism is different from these scales in several ways, such as:
- It is specifically designed for the parents of children with ASD, and it covers the unique aspects of parenting a child with ASD, such as managing the child’s sensory issues and communication difficulties.
- It has a two-factor structure, which reflects the two dimensions of parental competence: Parental Competence in Managing the Child’s Behavior and Parental Competence in Meeting the Child’s Needs.
- It has a higher number of items (19) than most of the other scales, which may increase the reliability and validity of the scale.
- It has a higher content validity index (0.93) than most of the other scales, which means that the items of the scale are more relevant and representative of the construct of parental competence.
How can the Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism be adapted or modified for different cultures and contexts?
The Parental Competence Scale for Parents of Children with Autism can be adapted or modified for different cultures and contexts by following these steps:
- To conduct a literature review and a needs assessment to identify the existing and relevant scales and the specific needs and preferences of the target population and setting.
- To translate the scale into the local language and to ensure the linguistic and semantic equivalence of the scale.
- To review the items of the scale and to modify or delete any items that are not applicable, appropriate, or acceptable for the target population and setting.
- To add or create any items that are needed or desired to capture the cultural and contextual aspects of parental competence for the target population and setting.
- To pilot test the adapted or modified scale with a small sample of the target population and setting, and to collect feedback and suggestions from the participants and the experts.
- To validate the adapted or modified scale with a larger and more representative sample of the target population and setting, and to examine the psychometric properties of the scale.
Source:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882596323003287