Understanding Psychological Flexibility for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Navigating the challenges of raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be an immensely rewarding yet demanding experience for parents. As a parent, it’s crucial to develop strategies that promote your own well-being and support your child’s development. One such approach is understanding and enhancing your psychological flexibility.
Psychological flexibility refers to our ability to be present, open to our experiences, and to take action guided by our values, even in the face of difficult thoughts and emotions. This flexibility is essential for parents of children with ASD, as it can help them adapt to the ever-changing needs of their child, manage stress, and maintain a positive, nurturing relationship.
To support parents in this journey, researchers from the The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Basel, Switzerland have translated and validated the Psy-Flex questionnaire, a tool to measure psychological flexibility, for use with Chinese parents of children with ASD.
The Psy-Flex Questionnaire
The Psy-Flex is a brief, 6-item self-report measure that assesses an individual’s level of psychological flexibility. It was originally developed in English and has now been adapted for use with Chinese-speaking parents of children with ASD, resulting in the Psy-Flex-C.
The process of developing the Psy-Flex-C involved several key steps:
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Translation and Semantic Equivalence: The original English version of the Psy-Flex was carefully translated into Chinese, and a panel of experts evaluated the semantic equivalence between the two versions to ensure the translated items maintained the same meaning and nuance.
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Face and Content Validity: The research team worked with 20 parents of children with ASD to assess the face validity of the Psy-Flex-C, ensuring the items were clear and relevant. They also consulted eight experts in the field to evaluate the content validity of the translated questionnaire.
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Validation Study: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 248 parents of children with ASD to validate the Psy-Flex-C. This included assessing the questionnaire’s internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and known-group validity.
The findings from this rigorous validation process demonstrate that the Psy-Flex-C is a reliable and valid measure of psychological flexibility for Chinese parents of children with ASD.
Key Findings
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Internal Consistency and Test-Retest Reliability: The Psy-Flex-C showed satisfactory internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.84. The test-retest reliability, assessed over a 2-week period, was also strong, with a weighted kappa statistic of 0.88.
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Concurrent Validity: The Psy-Flex-C was moderately correlated (r = 0.54) with the Comprehensive Assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes (CompACT), a well-established measure of psychological flexibility. This suggests the Psy-Flex-C effectively assesses the same underlying construct.
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Known-Group Validity: The study found a significant difference in Psy-Flex-C scores between parents with high levels of parenting stress and those with low or typical stress levels. This indicates the questionnaire can distinguish between individuals with different levels of psychological flexibility, a key aspect of its validity.
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Structural Validity: Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the Psy-Flex-C’s one-factor structure, aligning with the original English version and supporting the scale’s construct validity.
These findings demonstrate that the Psy-Flex-C is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing psychological flexibility in Chinese parents of children with ASD. By providing a psychometrically sound tool, researchers and practitioners can better understand and support the unique needs of this population.
Implications for Parents and Professionals
The availability of the Psy-Flex-C has several important implications for parents of children with ASD and the professionals who support them:
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Outcome Evaluation: The Psy-Flex-C can be used to measure changes in psychological flexibility over the course of family-focused interventions or support programs. This can help evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts in promoting parental well-being and resilience.
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Targeted Support: By assessing parents’ levels of psychological flexibility, professionals can identify those who may benefit most from learning strategies to enhance their flexibility, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or ACT-based interventions.
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Early Intervention: Early identification of parents with lower psychological flexibility can inform preventative efforts, allowing professionals to proactively support these families and potentially mitigate the long-term impacts of parenting stress.
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Accessible Measurement: The Psy-Flex-C is a brief, user-friendly questionnaire that takes only about 5 minutes to complete. This makes it a practical and feasible tool for use in busy clinical and educational settings, where time and resource constraints are common.
Overall, the validation of the Psy-Flex-C represents an important step in supporting the mental health and well-being of Chinese parents of children with ASD. By understanding and enhancing psychological flexibility, these parents can better navigate the challenges they face, strengthen their family relationships, and foster positive outcomes for their children.
Accessing the Psy-Flex-C
The Psy-Flex-C is freely available for use by researchers, clinicians, and educators working with Chinese-speaking parents of children with ASD. To access the questionnaire and learn more about its implementation, please visit the Stanley Park High School website or contact the research team at The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
By incorporating the Psy-Flex-C into your practice or research, you can contribute to a deeper understanding of psychological flexibility and its importance for parents of children with autism. Together, we can work to support these families and empower them to thrive.
