• Colin G Pottie, Jessye Cohen, and Kathleen M Ingram.
• Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA.
• J Pediatr Psychol. 2009 May 1; 34 (4): 419-29.

ObjectiveTo examine the extent to which social support, unsupportive interactions, support services, and disruptive child behaviors predict daily positive and negative mood in parents of children with autism.MethodsNinety-three parents of children with autism completed initial measures of disruptive child behaviors, and support services, then biweekly measures of daily stress, received emotional and instrumental social support, unsupportive social interactions, and mood over 3 months.ResultsGreater levels of daily positive mood were associated with more emotional and instrumental support, and less parenting stress and unsupportive interactions. Greater daily negative mood was associated with less emotional support and more parenting stress, unsupportive interactions, and disruptive child behaviors. Emotional support, unsupportive interactions, and disruptive child behaviors moderated the stress-mood relationship.ConclusionsDaily received social support and unsupportive interactions, and disruptive child behaviors are important predictors of daily mood. Identifying interpersonal processes that enhance psychological well-being may inform future parenting interventions.

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