(PS12-34) Parent, Child, and Socio-contextual Factors That Predict Parenting Self-efficacy from Infancy to Adolescence in Parents of Children with Chronic Inattention

Parenting self-efficacy is a parent’s confidence in their ability to raise their child. Raising a child with chronic inattention is likely to repeatedly disturb this confidence. Yet, little is known about the course of parenting self-efficacy over time or factors that may predict its course among parents of children with chronic inattention. This gap is concerning given that low parenting self-efficacy is predictive of disengagement from evidence-based treatment for youth with chronic inattention. In the present study, we sought to examine whether parent self-efficacy changes from infancy to adolescence and what parent, child, and socio-contextual factors predict self-efficacy over time.

            Utilizing data from the Environment Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) dataset, 161 mothers who reported their child had chronic inattentive behaviors (T-Score > 60 on the attention problems subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist) at four developmental time points (i.e., infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence) were included. Mothers provided demographic data (age, level of education, employment) and completed ratings of their parenting self-efficacy, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, stress, and health behaviors at each developmental time point. Mothers also reported their child’s age and sex as well as additional factors, including their child’s externalizing behaviors, anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and sleep behaviors. Mothers reported on additional socio-contextual factors, including family conflict and social support.

            Results indicated that parenting self-efficacy trended downwards across the developmental time points (M = 31.006, M = 28.683, M = 26.888, M = 25.938 at infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence, respectively). As expected, linear regressions highlighted that greater child externalizing behavior prospectively predicted lower parenting self-efficacy in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence (R² = .766-.772). Over and above child externalizing behavior and prior parenting self-efficacy, higher maternal stress and depressive symptoms prospectively predicted parenting self-efficacy in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. Additionally, elevated family conflict uniquely predicted self-efficacy in early childhood and adolescence (but not middle childhood).

Our results advance the field in several ways. First, finding that parenting self-efficacy declines over time among mothers of children with chronic inattention is striking. Usually, confidence improves with experience. Managing children with chronic disruptive behavior appears to erode confidence across development. Second, factors beyond disruptive child behavior and inattention (i.e., maternal stress, depression, family conflict) contribute to lower parenting self-efficacy over time. If replicated, future research should seek to better understand the mechanisms that explain the unique links between these factors and parenting self-efficacy beyond chronic inattention and disruptive child behavior, with the hope that this may inform improving engagement of these parents in evidence-based treatment.