Parenting Styles and Parent-Child Interactions in Autism Spectrum Disorders in India

Objective: This study was conducted to analyze the relationship between the parenting styles and parent child interaction among children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Indian context. Design:18 children with ASD, along with their parents were included in the study. Parenting Style Dimension Questionnaire (PSDQ) was used to understand parenting styles. A free play interaction session was video recorded and coded using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS). Results: Unlike most studies that reported authoritarian parenting style, this study showed that parents of children with ASD in India, reported the use of a mixed parenting style. Fathers predominantly used the authoritarian and permissive parenting styles while mothers of children with ASD used the authoritative parenting style along with other parenting styles. Mothers used more interactive behaviors, followed by commands and questions. Verbal children with autism demonstrated pro social talk while nonverbal children with autism demonstrated positive touch. A positive correlation was observed between authoritative style of parenting and parental behavior of commands. Conclusion: Parenting styles shape the interactions of parents with their children who have Autism.