| Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) significantly affects family dynamics and can impact parental mental health. The present study aimed to examine differences in self-compassion and emotion regulation between parents of adolescents with ASD and parents of typically developing adolescents to identify their effects on parental mental health.This research employed a causal-comparative design, with a purposive sample of 200 parents (100 parents from each group) selected from clinical centers in Tehran. Data were collected using the Self-Compassion Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the SCL-90 questionnaire to assess mental health. Data analysis was conducted using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).The results indicated that parents of adolescents with ASD had significantly lower self-compassion and experienced greater emotion dysregulation compared to parents of typically developing adolescents. Furthermore, these parents exhibited higher levels of psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and stress.The findings highlight the unique psychological challenges faced by parents of adolescents with ASD and emphasize the necessity of designing effective interventions to enhance self-compassion and emotion regulation. Strengthening these factors may contribute to improved parental mental health and help mitigate difficulties associated with raising children with ASD. |
