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The aim of this study was to explore the influence of parental intolerance of Uncertainty (IU), sensory sensitivity (SS) and Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP), as well as the severity of their children's autism symptoms and co-morbid symptoms, on the mental health of Chinese parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). One hundred and twenty-two parents (86.9% mothers; M age = 35.64 years, SD = 4.21) of children with ASD took part. Regression and mediation analyses showed that children's internalizing difficulties, parental BAP and IU had a direct effect, and SS had an indirect effect through IU, on parental mental health. We did not find a significant relationship between parental mental health and children's ASD severity. Our findings emphasise the need to focus on parental traits when considering their well-being and mental health, and have implications for the design of evidence-based services to support the needs of parents.

The COVID-19 pandemic has a multifaceted impact on mental health due to ill health, restrictions and lockdowns, and loss of employment and institutional support. COVID-19 may disproportionally impact families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) due to the already higher prevalence of mental health conditions in children with SEND and their parents. Therefore, it is essential to determine the short-term impact of the pandemic on the mental health of families with SEND in order to identify their ongoing health support needs. The current study aims to examine the anxiety level and concerns of children with SEND and their parents living in China. The sample consisted of 271 parents of children with SEND aged between 6 and 17 years (M age = 8.37; SD age = 2.76). Parents completed an online survey between 10 April to 8 June 2020. Both child and parental anxiety levels and various concerns increased after the initial wave of COVID-19 when compared with retrospective pre-COVID-19 levels. Parental anxiety and concern levels were significantly higher for those living in rural areas compared to urban areas. In addition, parental and child anxiety and concern levels were significantly correlated with each other. Parental anxiety at the lowest level made a unique and significant statistical contribution to children's anxiety levels. The implications of the study findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A main purpose of the present study was to examine and compare attitudes toward inclusive education between parents of children with ASD, parents of typically developing children, and classroom teachers in China. The investigators also sought to explore factors influencing different stakeholders' perspectives. An attitude survey was distributed to 14 institutions in Shanghai and Anhui Province in China, including four kindergartens, two elementary schools, four special schools, and four private training agencies. Seven hundred and twelve responses were received, including 170 from parents of children with ASD, 337 from parents of typically developing children, and 197 from classroom teachers. Both multivariate and univariate analyses were conducted to compare differences in attitudes between groups. The results indicate that parents of children with ASD held the most positive attitudes toward inclusion, whereas classroom teachers held the least positive attitudes toward the inclusion of children with ASD. Further analyses revealed that not only were adults' attitudes influenced by their identities as parents or teachers, but their background may also influence how they perceive inclusive education. The findings of the study provided a comprehensive view on how different parties perceive inclusive education of ASD. It also provided empirical evidence that inclusion generally has a positive impact on people's attitudes toward ASD. Implications and suggestions for future research and practices were further discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]